Tilikum Place Cafe — Restaurant in Seattle

I want to start by saying that the classic Dutch baby and French toast were absolutely amazing, parking is very easy to find on a Friday morning when they open, the hostesses were sweet and funny, and the atmosphere is cozy and comfortable.

Great food paired with subpar service is an injustice to the food and chef.

I'm not sure if it was just an off day, but the service was something to be very desired which was the last thing I wanted after finally having time to see my dad after 10 months. I picked this place because the food looks amazing and reviews for service were astonishing.

I understand not all places can accommodate dietary or religious restrictions, but our server really missed the mark to upsell to first-timers or give any recommendations before and after we told her that my dad doesn't eat pork (pork is their only meat sides). When he asked if there were possibly alternatives, all we got was an irritated "No". Dumb of us to ask in case we missed it on the menu. When he asked about the French toast and if it's good, she responded with a "it's how it is on the menu. It's good, the cream cheese is made in house." Mind you, my dad was asking if there was anything else in that dish because he has other allergies rather than listing them all off to her. My apologies for asking any questions and how our server feels about the food.

She was very short with us even when we tried to make light-hearted jokes. She put down a bottle of hot sauce and had 2 more for the tables next to us, my dad said "I like hot sauce, but I think one should do the trick lol" and she responded with "What? No.", put down a curry(?) ketchup with no explanation what it's for, and walked away visibly irritated. The only savory item ordered were eggs, but we decided not to waste her time by asking. Other tables gave her unpleasant looks after she took their orders and left, so it wasn't only us that might've done something wrong to warrant her poor attitude. We also had no issue with quickly leaving when we were informed that tables have a time limit of 1.5hrs, but waiting until the moment we signed the check to tell us that they need it at that moment wasn't very courteous.

I hate leaving bad reviews, especially if the food is phenomenal, but I am mortified as a downtown industry worker that often has to recommend other spots to our hotel guests for a well-rounded Seattle experience. I would consider giving TPC another shot once the taste of this experience is gone, but it is not a place I would rave about as of now.

Still, at the end of the day, many praises to the chef and the...

I’ve been going to Tilikum Place Cafe for 15 years, and an avid regular since I moved to Belltown in 2019. This review has been LONG overdue. Simply put, there is nothing like Tilikum Place Cafe anywhere. Go here.

Tilikum features a new menu every week based around the ingredients they procure. This keeps the menu fresh and exciting, and I look forward to seeing their weekly menu on instagram. The menu always includes eclectic options as well as comfort items, and while I may initially think some ingredients may not pair well together, I always trust the process because at this point I’m convinced the chef can make a phone book taste amazing. Huge props to her and the rest of the team. As I’ve brought my friends and family over the years, the constant feedback I receive from them, without fail, is that this is one of the best meals they’ve had, full stop. Needless to say, I agree.

Brunch books out far in advance and is worth the wait. Ask to be put on a waitlist to get in earlier if you can! The Dutch Babies are a menu highlight, and I recommend ordering an appetizer while you wait the 20-30 minutes it takes for them to bake - they’re made fresh to order. The coffee is always fantastic, and I highly recommend getting a baguette with your baked eggs. In the morning/afternoon the ambiance is bright and welcoming, with all the wonderful chatty sounds and cheery clinks and clangs of a bustling cafe.

Dinner ambiance is the opposite, it’s lit by warm moody lights, nothing harsh anywhere. It’s a very romantic, but familiar feeling. The chicken with Sauce Robert is always a staple, and whatever is the fish of the week could not be cooked better. This week was a black cod with blackberry sauce that literally melted in my mouth.

The service is also top notch. You can tell that all employees enjoy working there, are excited about the new menu of the week, and genuinely revel in being in a community-creating space that inspires togetherness. Lotta the hostess is especially a treat, even my parents look forward to seeing her when they visit. She has always accommodated my small dog Yoda, and she often has take home treats for him. I might be getting the local treatment so call ahead to be sure dogs are allowed!

All in all, go here. Eat here. Support here. You will not be disappointed. It speaks for itself that after 15 years I’m still excited for the next menu. That after 15 years I always find myself thinking this is one of the best meals I’ve had. That my friends and family can’t wait to be back. I...

We found this spot with a raving review and tasty looking food, we decided to check it out. It looked pretty busy from the outside, and busy it was…seems like a super popular spot. They have a bar at the entrance, nice, fully stacked bar.

The dining area was pretty packed, and all the empty tables were all reserved already. We didn’t have a reservation, but luckily for us, they had a few seats left at the bar counter.

We saw one table getting Dutch Baby with blueberry in it. We decided we will get that for dessert. For the main, we went with Baked Eggs. Our server told us that our order of Baked Eggs and Dutch Baby both will take a while. We were ok with that. The server also asked if we wanted them out at the same time, or the savory one first and then the sweet one. We asked for the savory one first.

Baked Eggs came in the cast iron skillet not big but not too small, and it was piping hot! It had loads of fresh veggies, all nicely cut up. It was cooked to perfection, we really enjoyed it!

When we were almost done with the savory one, the sweet Dutch Baby came out. Their timing was incredible! It came in the iron skillet that was the same size as the Baked Egg. It was still steaming hot, fresh out of the oven. It was fluffy and creamy at the same time. It was delicious!

The service here was very friendly, welcoming and polite. We received really nice service. The food tasted amazing, the quality was high, with fresh ingredients and everything made with...