russell's restaurant

really enjoyed the lobster ravioli.

santino goes and is happy with the food. so nice. but other than the food the service it was a so slow. make a me so frustrated.

we love russells. fillet is great. chicken is suprisingly excellent. teriyaki tid bit appetizer is delicious. (don't forget to soak the sauce up with the bread). and the bread pudding for dessert is decadent.

final straw. i have been a somewhat loyal follower of russell's since his partnership with (jonathon) hunt. good tasting, well executed food. the problem is that no matter how good of a chef he may be, he does not have a strong front of the house staff. my last 5 visits have been an absolute disappointment in the service end, it has finally overshadowed the fact that my food was okay.
i visited the bothell hideaway two nights ago with my husband, and left feeling though my long relationship with this place was finally over. forgotten bread, calling us "you guys" , never delivering my husbands entree (i had to find another server to ask if they could help us find his dinner) to name a few errors. when our server was alerted that his dinner had not arrived, she came to the table, and without a word to me, pulled my plate and walked away. we sat confused. is she making a new one? won't my duck get overcooked in the heat lamp? what happened to his scallops? explanation please? anyone can be forgiving when someone takes responsibility, but this was done without apology.
our food was then served. his scallops were tasty, and my duck was rubber. our server brought a glass of wine and said, "sorry guys...this glass of red is on me". who asked for that? how about...."sorry for the confusion. how is your dinner?"
i would have asked for the manager, but there did not appear to be one. not even our dear chef could be found. to me, a conversation would not heal this. it was just time to pay the bill, leave and never go back.

just simple and easy and delicious. everything we had was good. our waitress was so kind and funny. i had the spinach salad and the pancetta vinaigrette was soooo good. i also had the carpaccio and it was thin and buttery with tangy capers. i love that the kids menu had a real choice (salmon) and not just "kiddy" food. the scallops and tenderloin medallions were cooked perfectly with savory rich sauces. a great mother's day supper!!!

scallops. russell's is one of my guilty pleasures. happy hour and nosh. the scallops are sweet n buttery.

great finish to wine tasting. we went to russell's for dinner following an afternoon of woodinville wine tasting. it's very conveniently located and discount coupons for a meal are available at many tasting rooms.

we had heard great things and our experience didn't disappoint. the ambience is casual yet upscale, the wine selection very solid, and the meal amazing. i ordered duck and it was absolutely fabulous. the service was superior as well. we highly recommend russell's!

to be honest i wasn't expecting much. as a visitor from overseas, i would have preferred to have gone into the cbd for a quality dining experience, didn't think there would be much to rave about in bothell outside of burgers. the in-law's recommended russell's strongly so we thought we would give it a go, me a little grudgingly.

and we are glad we did.

service was fantastic and friendly right from the drinks at the bar first (thanks jorge) to the table attention.

the food was the star however, everything that was ordered was amazing. the mussels in smoked salmon cream, signature scallops, filet mignon, prime rib...and for me, the lamb rack which was possibly some of the best lamb i have ever had (that's saying something from a kiwi) . all were brilliantly executed.

desserts also kept up the standard, creme brulee, for $9, would have paid double! (but don't tell the restaurant.)

the wine selection was great also. would like to have seen more international wine's but probably just because i understand them better than the local wa wines.

the decor is beautiful, the old converted barn couldn't have looked better.

we stayed late, last to leave, staff didn't complain or chase us out. thanks for that as we were having a fun reunion with old friends so did not want to end the evening.

so highly recommended. try it for yourself.

this was the restaurant i chose for my 24th birthday and the food was good but wasn't outstanding. we ordered a dessert and saw the table next to us had a dessert personalized with a "happy birthday" on it so my father asked to have mine personalized as well but they refused. it was great food but the service made my night not as special as i would have liked.

food was bland needed some serious seasoning risotto was complete mush veggies were underwhelming scallops were bland. service was fast and polite but the kicker?? the mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a box. we won't be back for $40 a plate? no thanks

i dream about this food!!! let me sum it up this way. you know how when dished usually come with a side of vegetables and you maybe eat one or two because you know you should, but they're really just on the plate to take up space? well at russels the vegetables were so perfectly cooked i happily ate them all! i had the scallops and my boyfriend had the porkchop. both were exquisitly prepared! the staff was friendly and the food came out quite quickly. we wanted an hour for a table (our fault for not making reservations on a friday night), but the bar staff was amazing and kept us happy until we could be seated. and i would happily wait the hour again!

i work nearby and russell's is the closest restaurant to me for a quick lunch. the problem is though that lunch is seldom 'quick' - the kitchen seems to back up easily and you don't get a lot of food for the price. the staff are always friendly and the food is fresh but because of the aforementioned frequent slowness and cost, i find myself wishing i'd gone elsewhere as i wait for my food.

uncooked duck. told my waiter the duck was raw, and pointed it out with my knife. she said, "we cook our meats rare, unless you specify". i told her, "you didn't tell me that when i ordered". she said, "oh, i'm sorry, are you finished, or should i box it up?"

when she brought the check back to the table she said, "when i saw the duck in the light, in the kitchen, it was raw, so i'll cut that order in half".

i could have made a scene, but we were there for my son's birthday, and i didn't want an unpleasant situation.

my question is, if a meal is unsatisfactory, shouldn't the restaurant forego the full price of the meal, instead of half? i will never go back to russell's; they think they are better than you.

the food is excellent! the building is interesting - just among corporate buildings and the building doors are like walking into an office. they appear to be doing the best they can in terms of ambiance with what they've got but in any case, with food this good who cares. our entrees didnt come out piping hot - cons of sitting at the bar i think - but the food was still phenomenal so i can only imagine it's only better hot. :) everyone was recommending the scallops so it was a must do - and it absolutely did not disappoint. i wish it was socially acceptable to lick the plates clean. i had the duck as well and could not stop talking about it all night. i'll definitely be going back!

favorite romantic eastside rest.. cozy, romantic room. do not miss the scallops. the wine connoisseur is super sharp with a wonderful wine list.

have been back and was possibly even better than the first time! the steak was right up there with the metropolitan grill!!!