Dinette

03/02/09

Too Bad

by CHL5 at Citysearch

I've eaten at Dinette before and had a really good experience. When I suggested this as a location for a middle of the week dining experience for a group of 8 people, everyone was excited. However when I called to make a reservation, I was told that if it was during the weekend, they don't take reservations. When I explained the reservation was during the week, I was told that they require a credit card for parties over 4, which I did not want to do. I'm sorry, are we in NYC here and somehow I missed it? It was like they didn't want the business, or a large(r) party. Even if a table was reserved, and the whole group didn't come, couldn't a reasonable amount of time elapse (say 15 minutes) before offering the table to walk-ins? I explained I am a courteous person who always calls to cancel a reservation on the odd chance that I couldn't honor it. The person I talked to had no interest in hearing this. She was incredibly abrupt and accusutory going as far as calling me, the customer, "aggressive". I'm sorry, there are lots of choices in Seattle and while the food is good at Dinette, I could certainly do without the attitude. Frankly, I'm shocked, in an economy like ours, to be treated in such a manner.

By the way, I was reading reviews before choosing to make a reservation and it sounds like another person encountered something similiar. You would think a small business such as this would be more customer-focused.

Bummed

09/09/08

Mussell Man

by michaelseattle at Citysearch

Love the steamed mussells (when in season) and the owners/cooks are super friendly. Have'nt been in lately but will be real soon. Nice table by the window allows for great people watching (as I most often dine alone). Nothing bad to say about this place at all.

• Pros: Steamed Mussells
• Cons: can get really busy

05/13/08

Dinette, you've got to be kidding me.

by kkrida at Citysearch

I ate here with some friends and family and thought it was a really nice experience with a great atmosphere and quality food. Wanting to pass the word on I called to make a reservation for 12 people on a Wednesday night and they said they couldn't accommodate my party for 12 but could do it for 8. I called the next day to make the reservation for 8 after cutting down the guest list and they told me they needed a credit card # to hold the reservation and that they would charge us $30 per person if we canceled up to 30 minutes before. I decided not to make the reservation on that premise alone. I am planning on dining with friends and spending some money at the establishment. These are bad reservation policies. The food is good, but not that good!

• Pros: Delicous Food, good atmosphere
• Cons: Absolutely horrible reservation policies

04/13/08

comfy-chic, but food didn't impress.

by corkyspetals at Citysearch

Nice atmosphere, pleasant staff. We got there early when the place was empty, and I can't say any of the food was memorable. The toasts were OK. We shared some small dishes, salads, pasta, didn't live up to the hype.

03/23/08

Enjoyable meal

by jtflynn at Citysearch

We went to Dinette mid-week last week and had a great meal. The toasts are an interesting way to start off, and the choices are very interesting. Entrees were also interesting - we had rabbit confit and lamb, and were well-prepared. Service was prompt and attentive. Clearly this is one of the better restaurants on Capital Hill.

06/18/07

Disappointing Entrees

by svaezy at Citysearch

I really want to love this place ... but I can't! The people are incredibly nice, the service is attentive but unobtrusive, the location is great, the ambiance is comfortable and inviting... but the food ... ah the food. I've been here 3 times and the first time was AMAZING. Both our entrees were flavorful, juicy, delicious in every way, and the toast was fanastic. However, the two more recent times have been a huge disappointment. While the toast is still delicious, the entrees were below average. The chicken is consistently too heavily salted and slightly dry. The accompanying cauliflower was slightly mushy. Then dessert was magnificent and delicious. I am so conflicted about this place, because it was so incredible the first time and so underwhelming the last 2 times. I hope they recover their original spark because I want to keep going back, but right now, it's just not worth it.

• Pros: Nice people, Great Location, Nice ambiance
• Cons: Entrees=not so good, Seems to be declining

03/21/07

A homey vibe at this beloved Capitol Hill spot well-known for its menu of "toasts" and other delights.

by Anna Roth at Citysearch

The Scene
A collection of antique serving trays grace the baby blue walls of this two-room establishment on busy Olive Street, setting the cozy time warp for entering patrons. The crowd is a pleasant mix of out-on-the-town hipsters and well-heeled foodies; the staff is some of the friendliest in town. To add to the vintage vibe, the mis-matched plates look like they've been recently rescued from garage sales.

The Food
Dinette's menu started with toasts--generous slices of rustic bread from Columbia City Bakery topped with cured meats, cheeses and spreads like gorgonzola and walnut. Now the seasonally-changing menu offers more dishes but follows the original theme: It's not fussy, made for sharing and hearty without being overkill. A bowl of fluffy house-made ricotta gnocchi paired with braised short ribs hits just the right note; rotating daily specials include items like roast lamb leg with yellow pepper stew and chickpea crepes.

12/02/06

For the love of Toast!

by darla222 at Citysearch

Delicious food. Simple. I hope to see more places in the city that don't Try Too Hard...enough with 14 different ingredients on one plate. Get the Toast! Great idea, as well as having homemade-style "specials" to choose from. Service was knowledgable and quick, without being pushy. Atmosphere is stylish without going for the Nobel Prize in Decoration (Seattle restaurants - STOP shopping on Western Ave for your interiors! There's a whole world of design out there.) Yummy Yummy Yummy! I will go there often.

• Pros: All of it!
• Cons: Capitol Hill parking. Try to walk/taxi if you can.

11/17/06

TOAST!

by cheriwan13 at Citysearch

The moment we walked in I was won over. Even after the few not-so-good reviews here, I had been looking forward to my evening with a friend at this quaint little restaurant that I had heard great things about from others. We were smart- made reservations. We were greeted warmly. We looked over the wine list, and I happened to find it not only a great little gem, but very affordable! Not many places that are this small these days veer from the "Washington and California Wines Only" rule, and it was a such a sigh of relief. Then the toast. OMG, the toast! Our waiter was charming, our dishes were charming, and I must say, we immediately made reservations for the future to bring back a larger group of friends. We stayed three hours in the beautful Autumnal glow of this place, basking in the simplicity and depth of each dish. We even ordered dessert, which we rarely do. I highly reccomend trying this spot- make reservations, go with an open and happy mind, and sit back and relax. I'm thinking that with all this rain, it might be a great place to feel pampered and dry. Hmmm. I might have to see if they have any openings this evening.

• Pros: Pretty space, friendly service, TOAST
• Cons: Parking

09/16/06

Heard great things.... Saturday Night Host needs to be replaced!!

by hao_gao at Citysearch

I only rate it a one because of the tantalizing smell that I captured us before we approached the obnoxious host. It was an early Saturday summer evening and we were looking to enjoy a delightful (last minute) dinner at Dinette. I had a suspicion we might need reservations for a Saturday night meal in Seattle but we took our chances.

When my girlfriend and I approached the host, we asked if there were any open tables. He replied "do you have a reservation??" I said, no we do not, he laughingly replied " you've ovbiously never been here before. I said "no, we haven't." as he waved us aside he said, "well.... like the people behind you, who probably have a reservation...you need to make one." We left not ever wanting to return, though we have heard WONDERFUL things about Dinette.

• Pros: Good Reviews by personal friends and publications
• Cons: Host... do we have to say more