Oliver's Twist

Doesn't Recommend

darla222

Joined 7 years ago

Bad service, worse food.. I think our server may moonlight as a circus clown, because he certainly didn't seem to have the energy to be attentive or informative. Yet, he took great pleasure in letting us know REPEATEDLY about how much everyone loved him and how funny people think he is. ??? Barely saw him, and he actually brought the check when we didn't even finish our drinks! I had to address the fact that we were going to order food and he was offended that his "assumption based on what we looked like" was wrong. AWFUL interaction. The food (and we tried about 4 items) was horrendously greasy and not fresh. We nibbled a bit of each, as much as we could tolerate since we were starving, and decided to go elsewhere. Our server, again, couldn't be bothered to check on us, and when we tried to ask about one of the ingredients he was outright pretentious and annoying. No wonder the place is always empty! Don't waste time or money here. Gorgeous George's, Carmelita's, Stumbling Goat, Wild Mountain etc etc etc, are in the same area and GOOD!

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kodachrome

Joined 7 years ago

Unimprovable!. Great design, great menu and great service combine in one of those unique spots that you can tell a lot of thought went into -- and it really shows. For anyone complaining about portion size -- go pig out at Claim Jumper and leave more space for the rest of us to enjoy Oliver's Twist.

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spudsocks

Joined 7 years ago

Cute, but expensive. OK, I really, really, really want to love this place. I mean, I live nearby, the drinks are fantastic and totally innovative, the food (especially the truffled popcorn, comes in an old-school popcorn bag!) is delicious, the staff is friendly, the atmosphere is chill. But I never come here, because it costs too much money every time. The cocktails are so delicious that I knock 'em back fast and at $8 a pop, that's not good on the wallet. The food's more like snack-y food, not really filling, and also expensive. Oliver's Twist, lower your prices a few bucks and the neighborhood will come to you!

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nordway

Joined 6 years ago

So so. Average drinks, not as good as those at Thaiku, Sambar or Hazelwood. No ventilation, my date and I were there for less than 30 min and came out smelling like the onions that were being cooked in the kitchen. The food was ok, nothing special.

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paulywog2000

Joined 7 years ago

Downtown feel without the scene. I'm a long time downtown resident and met a Phinney friend there last night, 1/25, who wanted me to check out this spot. I was pleasantly surprised to find a relaxed urban bar/lounge atmosphere without the usual downtown scene. This is clearly not a restaruant, so be warned that you'd need multiple "small plates" to make a meal, but those small plates are indeed tasty. I like the mini-anchovy pizzas the best. The kale was perfectly sauteed with the right amount of garlic and the tiny grilled cheese w/"Tomato Cappuccino" was good as well and reminded me of a smiliar app. served at BOKA at the Hotel 1000. The drinks were acceptable and they have an interesting menu of cocktails to choose from. While our server was very nice, friendly and responsive from the moment we sat down, I'd have to agree with other reviewers here, that it did slow down as the evening went on, even as the crowd thinned. I would definately go back to this new neighborhood addition. It reminded me a bit like Black Bottle downtown, but on a smaller scale, less noisy and with smaller portions of food (for a similar price.)

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

An upscale neighborhood lounge with divine small plates and artfully composed cocktails.. In Short
Warm orange walls, dark wood, and quilted leather booths create ambiance that is both inviting and elegant, while the former Carmalita chef Dan Braun's cocktail and tapas menu is pure sensory seduction. The Fagin is a fragrant, vodka-based fusion of cucumber and licorice; the Old Sally is an unexpected delight combining brandy, lemon, quince puree and walnut oil. Notable nibbles include a mini grilled cheese with a frothy tomato broth and addictive garlic truffled popcorn.

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planet_b

Joined 6 years ago

Good food, mediocre service, bad ventilation!. As a resident of Phinney Ridge, I was very excited to have a classier bar/lounge open in the neighborhood. I have been to Oliver's Twist a few times now and have really enjoyed the food and drinks. But, the service has been very mediocre every time I've been there...even on slow nights my friends and I sat with empty glasses for too long. Most of all, the ventilation in the place is horrible! Over the holidays the place was so stuffy inside and the smell of the truffle oil (used on the popcorn) permeated the interior and my clothes! I cannot go back anymore because I don't want to have to take my clothes to the cleaners after each visit!

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orangehouse

Joined 7 years ago

Amazing drinks! Awesome food!. OH YEAH! The drinks are amazing and the food is awesome. This is the perfect place for just about any night out. You can go there to get the ball rolling. You can go there to cap the evening off. You can start there, and you're likely to end there. The drink selection is more than plenty. They have all the classics, the best beers, good wine and totally original cocktails. The plates are small, but perfect. Every time we go, we try at least two plates. It's absolutely mandatory you order the chocolate gelato on a bed of caramel with sea salt. I don't think I need to explain.

Unlike many Seattle hot-spots, the staff is really great. They are super-friendly and always available. It's cool to meet and talk with Dan, the chef. Sit in the bar area and watch the food and drinks as they flip, flop, melt, mix and blend. It's a bit like being at the circus. The final performance ends at your table.

We try and meet with friends there about once a week. This is a great addition to the neighborhood, and if you don't live in the area it's certainly worth the trip.

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davidpsimons

Joined 7 years ago

Tasty & Unique. Wow, I'm not sure what the previous reviewer was expecting, but I found Oliver's Twist to be a great new addition to the neighborhood. Warm ambiance, friendly service, inventive & delicious food, wide variety of unusual drinks. It's more lounge than restaurant, but the food is so good it's hard to call it just a bar.

Our party of four found everything to be tasty. We knew the portions would be small so we each ordered several things.

I do agree with the previous review that the bench seats against the wall are slouch-inducing, however they _do_ provide pillows which made it quite comfortable. Maybe they added them since yesterday's review -- they seemed very willing to respond to feedback, for example they recently increased the menu font size and arrangement. (We got ours upgraded when our server realized we had the old ones).

They have three desserts. We tried two (the chocolate ones) and they were both excellent.

This place is unique. I highly recommend it.

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truecook

Joined 7 years ago

disappointing. The menu is very limited....don't go hungry....have something to eat elsewhere before you go. They don't have a kitchen so the few food choices are made/assembled on a small counter next to the bar. Very uncomfortable seats so don't plan to linger long unless you bring a cushion. Seems like they tried to put this place together on a shoestring budget.