They have a service fee burried in the receipt and then also give you the option to tip. It is misleading and not really ok.
Justin Marzean
Great vibes and solid food! Great for a casual dinner or as a date spot. Enjoyed the dishes and cocktails.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
K Van Petten
We have been regulars here and usually enjoy it, but this visit was such a letdown.
We came on a Friday night because we wanted to spend time on the patio for the last of summer. When we checked in we were told we were next on the list, but we watched several groups who didn’t opt for drinks get seated first, which was confusing.
Inside, the tables were jammed so close together we could hear every word from the people next to us. It was loud, uncomfortable, and not set up well for a relaxed dinner. After our 40 minute wait, we were not given any option to stay outside, even though that’s why we had come.
We were ready to order just an appetizer and an entrée, but the server encouraged us to add two more dishes to make it a full meal. After two somewhat bigger “small” plates than we expected, nothing else had been entered into the kitchen. The food itself was okay, though mostly overseasoned basics, and we had high hopes for the mains. By then we had already ordered a second round of drinks, including their martini service, expecting more food to come. When the third dish finally arrived, it had been almost 45 minutes since the last one, and we found out the pasta — the dish we were most excited for — had never even been started. At that point, nearly two hours in, we canceled it, boxed the third plate to go, finished the drinks we had ordered, and left to get a bite elsewhere just to fill up.
They did comp a round of wine, but the bill still came to $160.20 with an automatic service charge. We left feeling hungry, uncomfortable, and disappointed.
I am not sure how well the seemingly overwhelmed staff are looked after given that automatic service charge and how poorly things were explained. There have been reports from Sea Creatures restaurants about confusion over these charges and how much of them actually benefit workers rather than the house (see Why Is Bateau (Temporarily) Closed, Though? in The Stranger).
The food here can be good, but this night showed how fragile the experience is. If you are hungry, celebrating, or expect comfort and clarity, be aware you may spend a lot and leave very disappointed.
To top off this experience, we know that we left a pair of expensive glasses here, which they could not find.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Madison Wade
The best Italian food in Seattle! Obsessed with the staff here too. They really take care of you and make your dining feel special.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Luke Clum
I like food and this place slaps. Service was 👌
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Todd Malan
We had a family dinner last night and enjoyed the “family style dinner” — what a treat! Service was impeccable and i can’t believe they put out such remarkable food from a closet of a kitchen. One of my favorite places in Seattle, the team at Lioness makes you feel like your having dinner ala familia!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kate Gentry
I wanted to really enjoy dining here but was mainly disappointed by the value. Everything is pricey yet the experience doesn't seem worth it to me. Wine: Only a few options for wines by the glass, $18 and up, and mostly obscure varietals. I'm happy to try a type of wine I've never had, but for $20 it seems an expensive risk. Food: prosciutto and peaches tasty but were poorly proportioned: a huge pile of prosciutto was served with only 4 slices of peach. I would have liked more of the sweet and moist fruit to balance out the dry, salty meat. The braised greens were only ok, and we had to remind the waitstaff of the order at the time they served the main dish. For a main, we shared the cavitelli with sungold tomatoes carmelized onions, and lemon ricotta. The flavors were fabulous, but they took al dente a bit far. The service was very friendly, but slow. We weren't ready to order drinks right away and then waited at least 15 minutes before anyone came back to take our order. Then it was another 20-30 minutes before the first appetizer arrived. After already feeling like I was paying more for the meal than I thought it was worth, it was irritating to find that the restaurant adds an automatic 22% service charge to the bill.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Gianna Dias
Didn’t eat there so this review isn’t based on that. Kinda weird experience - my boyfriend and I just wanted to grab a drink and there were a bunch of open tables. The host said he can seat us after he gets things settled with the big party coming in behind us. We asked if there’s a bar we can sit at and he said he can show us to the bar in 30 minutes after he gets this big party taken care of. Felt kinda odd, and not very hospitable.
Amy Lopez
Great food, nice ambiance, really adorably decorated
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jennifer Chaussee
Get a glass of wine, the gem lettuce salad, and the cavatelli. Everything else is also great but these are the three things most worth the price tag. Skip the chocolate cake unless you’re into the flourless variety.
Roses are red, violets are blue, James is awesome, every dish - order two.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kelsey Robertson
Super cute atmosphere! Big fan of Renee Erickson and her restaurants but this place had such a weird vibe. The staff felt stuck up/snotty/trying too hard to be “rich”, for lack of a better term. It wasn’t directed toward me or my friend, it was the general demeanor I witnessed. I don’t know I haven’t felt that weird energy before, even at Canlis. We left after one drink and over priced burrata (which was tasty but came with one piece of toast with a hole in it to share between two people). Probably won’t be going back but glad I tried it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 2
Brianna Park
We’ve been wanting to try Lioness out for months. Everything was great—cute and cozy decorations, fantastic service, decent food (went for drinks), and good wine. The only thing that made me eeek was their automatic 22% service charge. I was willing to tip wisely but that was obviously a turn off. Idk ..is this the new norm in Seattle now? 🥲
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rachel McGrew
The service and atmosphere are standout. One of the best waiters I’ve had atmosphere is warmed by candlelight. The food was decent but I think coming for a cocktail and a small bite may be the way to go
They have a service fee burried in the receipt and then also give you the option to tip. It is misleading and not really ok.
Great vibes and solid food!
Great for a casual dinner or as a date spot.
Enjoyed the dishes and cocktails.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
We have been regulars here and usually enjoy it, but this visit was such a letdown.
We came on a Friday night because we wanted to spend time on the patio for the last of summer. When we checked in we were told we were next on the list, but we watched several groups who didn’t opt for drinks get seated first, which was confusing.
Inside, the tables were jammed so close together we could hear every word from the people next to us. It was loud, uncomfortable, and not set up well for a relaxed dinner. After our 40 minute wait, we were not given any option to stay outside, even though that’s why we had come.
We were ready to order just an appetizer and an entrée, but the server encouraged us to add two more dishes to make it a full meal. After two somewhat bigger “small” plates than we expected, nothing else had been entered into the kitchen. The food itself was okay, though mostly overseasoned basics, and we had high hopes for the mains. By then we had already ordered a second round of drinks, including their martini service, expecting more food to come. When the third dish finally arrived, it had been almost 45 minutes since the last one, and we found out the pasta — the dish we were most excited for — had never even been started. At that point, nearly two hours in, we canceled it, boxed the third plate to go, finished the drinks we had ordered, and left to get a bite elsewhere just to fill up.
They did comp a round of wine, but the bill still came to $160.20 with an automatic service charge. We left feeling hungry, uncomfortable, and disappointed.
I am not sure how well the seemingly overwhelmed staff are looked after given that automatic service charge and how poorly things were explained. There have been reports from Sea Creatures restaurants about confusion over these charges and how much of them actually benefit workers rather than the house (see Why Is Bateau (Temporarily) Closed, Though? in The Stranger).
The food here can be good, but this night showed how fragile the experience is. If you are hungry, celebrating, or expect comfort and clarity, be aware you may spend a lot and leave very disappointed.
To top off this experience, we know that we left a pair of expensive glasses here, which they could not find.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The best Italian food in Seattle! Obsessed with the staff here too. They really take care of you and make your dining feel special.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I like food and this place slaps. Service was 👌
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had a family dinner last night and enjoyed the “family style dinner” — what a treat! Service was impeccable and i can’t believe they put out such remarkable food from a closet of a kitchen. One of my favorite places in Seattle, the team at Lioness makes you feel like your having dinner ala familia!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I wanted to really enjoy dining here but was mainly disappointed by the value. Everything is pricey yet the experience doesn't seem worth it to me. Wine: Only a few options for wines by the glass, $18 and up, and mostly obscure varietals. I'm happy to try a type of wine I've never had, but for $20 it seems an expensive risk. Food: prosciutto and peaches tasty but were poorly proportioned: a huge pile of prosciutto was served with only 4 slices of peach. I would have liked more of the sweet and moist fruit to balance out the dry, salty meat. The braised greens were only ok, and we had to remind the waitstaff of the order at the time they served the main dish. For a main, we shared the cavitelli with sungold tomatoes carmelized onions, and lemon ricotta. The flavors were fabulous, but they took al dente a bit far. The service was very friendly, but slow. We weren't ready to order drinks right away and then waited at least 15 minutes before anyone came back to take our order. Then it was another 20-30 minutes before the first appetizer arrived. After already feeling like I was paying more for the meal than I thought it was worth, it was irritating to find that the restaurant adds an automatic 22% service charge to the bill.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Didn’t eat there so this review isn’t based on that. Kinda weird experience - my boyfriend and I just wanted to grab a drink and there were a bunch of open tables. The host said he can seat us after he gets things settled with the big party coming in behind us. We asked if there’s a bar we can sit at and he said he can show us to the bar in 30 minutes after he gets this big party taken care of. Felt kinda odd, and not very hospitable.
Great food, nice ambiance, really adorably decorated
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Get a glass of wine, the gem lettuce salad, and the cavatelli. Everything else is also great but these are the three things most worth the price tag.
Skip the chocolate cake unless you’re into the flourless variety.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Roses are red, violets are blue, James is awesome, every dish - order two.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Super cute atmosphere! Big fan of Renee Erickson and her restaurants but this place had such a weird vibe. The staff felt stuck up/snotty/trying too hard to be “rich”, for lack of a better term. It wasn’t directed toward me or my friend, it was the general demeanor I witnessed. I don’t know I haven’t felt that weird energy before, even at Canlis. We left after one drink and over priced burrata (which was tasty but came with one piece of toast with a hole in it to share between two people). Probably won’t be going back but glad I tried it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 2
We’ve been wanting to try Lioness out for months. Everything was great—cute and cozy decorations, fantastic service, decent food (went for drinks), and good wine. The only thing that made me eeek was their automatic 22% service charge. I was willing to tip wisely but that was obviously a turn off. Idk ..is this the new norm in Seattle now? 🥲
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The service and atmosphere are standout. One of the best waiters I’ve had atmosphere is warmed by candlelight. The food was decent but I think coming for a cocktail and a small bite may be the way to go
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Spectacular
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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