Wild Sage Bistro — Restaurant in Spokane

First, let me say i've never ever left a negative review for a restaurant before. My wife and I came to Spokane for a reunion, and we're out with a friend of ours. Who is the ex county commissioner of Spokane County? I'm a business coach who specializes in the retail and restaurant industry. My wife is a very successful mentor in the real estate industry, and my best friend of 55 years is the ex county commissioner for Spokane. We went to a local wine bar called Vanetta to do a wine tasting, and the owner, an incredible gentleman named Dave, who gave us a great presentation on his wines, recommended this restaurant. After sampling a couple of his wines and having one glass of the Malbec, we xashed out and walked to Wild Sage Bistro, upon the recommendation of the owner, Dave. We arrived at 8:40, and we're immediately taken by the fact that the hostes looked at her watch before deciding to seat us. We are extremely mature individuals who are known and well respected in our industries. We ate also incredibly down to earth and real. We tried to make the hostess laugh to no avail. After we were seated, we were greeted by a very nice server. We ordered 2 glasses of the special wine of the evening, a $16 glass of red wine. My wife said no, bring me a Melbac instead. We were then given the 2 glasses of the special wine and said we were supposed to get 1 special and 1 Melbac. But leave the other wine for our friend Steve. At this point, we ordered dinner and appetizers. I must say the food and service to this point were exceptional. After about 45 minutes, we had finished our dinner, and I then attempted to order another glass of wine. The bar tender said no, and I thought she was joking. When our waitress came to clear off our table, I attempted to order another glass of wine. She actually said no, that she didn't feel comfortable serving me more wine. In all my years as a business coach, speaker, author, and consultant, have I ever seen such disrespect for a client at a restaurant. I was given no reason for this. We we're not loud, disruptive, slurring our words or doing anything other than trying to make the...

My partner and I had a fabulous time at Wild Sage, and we’d definitely go again. The cocktail program is outstanding, the food is solid, and the service is great—three for three. And in the bonus round, the dining room strikes a lovely balance between formal and informal. It’s elegant without being stuffy, and the acoustics are great—it’s not super loud, which makes conversation easy.

Now for the details.

We had an early dinner before a concert and were seated immediately. We jumped right into the cocktail menu. Both drinks were excellent, though my partner’s could’ve been a touch colder—maybe 10 more seconds of shaking. But the flavor was spot-on, so no big deal. My chosen drink was a play on a French 75, and very drinkable. The perfect aperitif, with a touch of Creme de Violette. The right amount to interest the palate without taking over the flavor.

Food highlights:

Starters: The taquitos? Yum. The polenta fries? Also yum. Big portions—we could’ve easily shared. The polenta fries were somehow both internally soft and creamy and crisp on the outside. Not greasy at all.

Mains: My partner had the halibut—perfectly cooked, well-seasoned, and interesting. I had the bucatini with morels. It was rich and earthy, maybe even a little too rich—something acidic or sharp might’ve balanced it better. But flavor-wise, it was a hit, and I’d order it again.

Dessert: Coconut cream layer cake? Lilikoi sauce? Yes, please. A dessert cocktail on top? Absolutely.

All in all, a great splurge. With drinks, dinner ran just over $200 for two, which felt reasonable for the quality and experience (and drinks). The online menu includes prices, so if you’re budgeting, it’s easy to plan ahead. Personally, I felt it was...

We had dinner at Wild Sage last night before going to the PBR. I've visited many times over the years and always have enjoyed the food and service, and every single time I wonder why I don't go more often. I intend to, in the future, because it is so incredibly consistent. Every aspect from entering to leaving (quite full!) indicates a focus on quality and that many people genuinely care about the details and work well together.

In addition to the lightest and most buttery popovers I have ever tasted, we shared the poached pear and bacon and blue salads. Both had well-balanced, distinct flavors and were a fresh start to our meal.

He ordered the Hawaiian bigeye tuna, which was perfectly seared rare and accompanied with avocado beurre blanc, tropical fruit salsa, wild rice, and carrot-daikon slaw; it was so incredible that I stole more than just a few bites.

I had the breast of duckling with cherry-port demi, yukon potatoes, vegetables, and toasted hazelnuts, and it was rich had a delightful balance of color, flavor, and texture. The only thing better than the presentation was the actual taste.

After our entrees, even though full, we couldn't resist the special of the spiced apple bundt cake with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel, and of course the hazelnut chocolate tart. Both were terrific, and I seriously considered ordering more to go so that I could extend the experience by having the best breakfast of my life, but prudence won over, so I "just" had more than my fair share of both desserts.

Finally, the prompt, attentive and knowledgeable service provided by Sean was noteworthy; he was friendly, professional and made sure that every aspect of our experience was...