The Bistro at Hollywood Schoolhouse — Restaurant in Woodinville

We went here for a special meal and, for the most part, we were happy with our experience. The loss of a star was due to our server's obvious lack of care and service, etc. No drink refills, forgetting sauces, and just generally not attempting to be courteous at all, and a specific item I will get into later in this review.

As far as the food we started with the French Onion Soup, which was phenomenal, the Caesar which had a passing grade, and the Artisan Bread and Butter which was also a hit. You can see the quality in the bread. The oil with rosemary that came with it was also very well received.

For our mains we ordered the Derby Burger, which my wife still raves about. We ordered it medium though it came medium well to well done for sure.

Now for the other reason for the loss of a star, the House Dry Aged 12 Oz Ribeye. It was...not good, especially considering the price tag. First, it came out well done when we ordered a medium rare.

In addition to the temperature being far overdone, which turns the finest cut into a boot steak, the frites/fries were horrid. Underseasoned, hard, and unpleasant to the point where I simply decided they were not worth while.

While I would recommend The Bistro for the items I have mentioned, I would not expect stellar service from the server. Ironically the rest of the staff such as food runners etc. were great. Unfortunately though the server is the main point of contact and has an extremely high impact on the experience if they choose to do the minimum and not care.

I would recommend to anyone reading to steer clear of the upsold Ribeye and, instead, I highly recommend The Derby Burger, French Onion Soup, and the Artisan Bread and Butter. You will not be...

TDLR: coma-inducing goodness! Beef Short Ribs. Just do it.

Small dining area. I'd call in advance to make a reservation if I were you. There isn't really a waiting room so you'll have to stand awkwardly in the middle of the dining area if there aren't any tables available. They also have outdoor seating with cool (I mean "hot") fire pits.

If you sit at the bar you can watch the chefs hard at work! Pretty interesting to watch!

Service: wait to be seated, order at the table, you will be watered, check will be brought to you.

Artisan Bread and Butter: Dang that's some meaty looking bread! The bread is served very warm with a hard crust and delightfully soft and chewy "insides". Comes with flavored oil and soft butter. The bread itself isn't very flavored but lather it up with the butter and dip it in the oil and you're set. This is an appetizer but since it's so carby it's pretty filling. I suggest you share it with three or more people if you're looking to get an entree. Otherwise just have this with another appetizer or two and a drink of your choice and you'll be full.

Beef Short Ribs: oh my GOD. The meat is so tender it just falls off the bone! They give you a steak knife "just in case" but you can blink and the meat will slide off the bone. I love the flavor as well--not too salty and a hint of Cabernet. Oh man. Just writing this review makes me want another! The only thing stopping me from coming here every day is the price--a little on the spendy side but well worth it!

Seattle Cider Semi Sweet: it's like Martinelli's with a little more tang and a hint of alcohol. A very nice light and...

EXCELLENT food, great drinks, wonderful ambiance.

We arrived here on accident while we waited to meet friends to go somewhere else. The plan was to have a quick seat, maybe a glass of wine, and move on to other Woodinville sights with friends. However, after seeing some of the food come out, we decided to order and get some drinks. The staff were incredibly knowledgable and patient—it was Mother’s Day and any casual observer could see these people had been run ragged all day—but they all went with the flow and treated us like we were the only people there. I could see other guests were being treated similarly, it was obvious the owners had hired competent, intelligent, customer-service oriented waitstaff.

We asked for wine recommendations, our server knew his menu front and back, and was great about helping us find the right glass, and he was spot on. Our food was plentiful and the ingredients were obviously fresh and carefully prepared.

We didn’t mean to make this our next Woodinville go-to, there are lots of options in the area, but this is definitely now on our Woodinville shortlist. There’s outdoor seating, the place is close to Ste Michelle if you are looking for a pre-concert pick-me-up, and it’s off the beaten path, so you aren’t barking over the sound of traffic or the smell of exhaust.

There is no part of The Bistro that we didn’t absolutely love. It was a fabulous surprise. You should...