Eats Market Cafe

08/23/08

Bad service, bad attitude

by nwgal423 at Citysearch

Things happen. It's how a business responds when something inevitably goes wrong that separates the good businesses from the bad. And it's how this restaurant responded--or, more accurately, didn't --that explains why I won't ever eat there again.

First of all, the food is okay. But you can get good food all over Seattle--especially the kind of casual fare Eats offers.

The service wasn't particularly great the day I stopped in. But I was willing to overlook it, because I was just running in for take-out.

When I got home I found that they'd overcharged me. Twice I called and talked to the owner. Twice he promised to mail me the overcharge.

The first time he blew me off, I was forgiving. "Small business owner--has a lot on his mind," I thought. The second time, I thought he acted annoyed--like refunding an overcharge was just way too much trouble.

The third time I left a message. He never called back.

I'd ask him what was so hard about mailing a check if I ever saw him again. But, like I said above, that's not likely to happen, as I'll never be back.

If you watch your restaurant tabs closely, then I guess it's a good enough gamble. Their sandwiches are good. But if there's any problem with your experience there, well, I hope you have better luck than I did in getting it resolved.

10/16/07

I don't get the hype

by mattho at Citysearch

I wouldn't eat breakfast there again, not because that the food was bad but because the price was way too high for what you get. I did the scrambled eggs with, sausage, cheese, and avacado and the thing ended up being over $12 due the the ala carte style menu. I didn't even get everything I would have wanted in my eggs but couldn't justify spending $16 for breakfast.

• Pros: convienient for me
• Cons: price

08/07/07

One of the best in the West (of Seattle)

by mcwrenn at Citysearch

Color me surpised to see even one mixed review of EATS Market Cafe! This place is a lovely little gem tucked very surprisingly into Westwood Village Shopping Center in West Seattle. That alone gives them points for bravery in my book. I've been eating here since they opened and the owners, Evan and Toby, have never been less than warm and friendly to me no matter how busy the place is.. and so have the people they've hired. The matzoh in the chicken (with REAL chicken stock) soup wants to fly right out of the bowl it's so light.. and Bubba's Bolognese is to die for. Ditto those gooey waist-bustin' Reubens, which are hands down the best I've ever eaten (including NYC's!).

I also disagree with those complaining about the service. Have we gotten so spoiled as a nation that we need to be fawned over the second we enter an establishment or we think we're being treated rudely? Sometimes the wait staff is bustlin' around BUSY. To me, that's a GOOD sign in a restaurant; it means the food is wonderful, and worth snagging a table. If the staff is attending to others, *I wait politely for their attention*. Patience. It's a virtue. (Look it up if you don't believe me. ;-) This "notice me immediately or I'll post a bad review" crowd would do well to avoid popular restaurants, imho.

And, oh, the pastries! Real honest-to-God red velvet cupcakes like your grandmother made with soft, buttery frosting, incredible eclaires, melt-in-your-mouth pies, and home-made, real-cream-creamy ice creams. 'Nuff said. I think this place is wonderful, and I've always been made to feel like family when I eat there. The food is delicious and comforting, the prices are reasonable, and they've done almost as much as humanly possible to warm up a dauntingly generic restaurant setting. I hope they never get so popular that they move to a bigger space farther away from my house (which, I fear, is almost inevitable because they're often so busy... and deservedly so).

• Pros: Well prepared and creative-yet-comforting food
• Cons: Probably the location, if anything, but it's worth the drive to West Seattle