Went to Messina for brunch on Easter Sunday and had an outstanding experience. Every single staff member we interacted with was excellent - super helpful, accommodating, friendly, and fun. As a bonus, the food was really good. We had five different brunch items and loved them all. I highly recommend for brunch and will definitely go back.
Lydia D.
Came in with a party of 6, so much fun, great recommendations from our server Gabriella. The pasta board is so fun if you have enough people to share with.
Ariana G.
Gabriella was our server and she gave fantastic service! She was very helpful with recommendations, fast and efficient. The food was delicious overall especially the pasta board.
Melissa B.
Antonio and his team did such a great job making last nights dinner extra special and delicious! Can't wait to go back to try more of the menu, every bite we had was delicious!
R R.
I found the atmosphere pleasing and the staff friendly, attentive and welcoming. I ordered a glass of Sangiovese wine, the roasted beat salad and the triangle cacio e pepe. The roasted beet salad was good and large enough for two. I was surprised by the small amount of pasta in the serving. I could almost count the pasta on my plate by just looking at it. Italian restaurants love serving little pasta in big, huge bowls to give the impression of elegance and abundance. It doesn't work. I, like other reviewers, found their pasta undercooked. I'd ask the waitstaff to tell the kitchen to boil it a little longer unless you like your pasta chewy and stuck together. The sauce was smooth (no lumps) and tasted as I would expect. Another guest at our table had the osso buco (pork shank). It was surprisingly large. I saw another table order the pasta flight (5 pastas served in a long board). This would be great for a table of 3-5. Serving sizes on this presentation looked the same size (or larger) than the individual serving. At $100 it is probably more cost effective for a larger group. However the pasta looks as if it will cool quickly being it is open on a board and not contained in bowls. I would like to go back and try other things but for now I would just give this an overall 3 star rating and would go find Italian food elsewhere.
Ani A.
Modern Italian @eatmessina I love wild, foraged mushrooms - it holds a special place in my heart just like this funghi pizza. They did not waste any real estate, the entire pizza was evenly covered with duxelles, foraged mushrooms, caramelized onion, thyme, taleggio. It's an art form. The crust is also amazing. It tastes like they flew in a 100 year old starter from Calabria to make the pizza dough. Each bite had perfect chew, character and just the right amount of crunch. I look forward to making breakfast pizza with the leftovers by adding an egg on top when reheating in my air fryer for a quick, delicious meal. Then I will top with arugula & drizzle with evoo. I also ordered the seafood fritto misto which is battered calamari, shrimp, hen of the woods, bell peppers perfectly fried with a side of Calabrian aioli. It really is a thing of beauty, irresistible with lemon juice. I inhaled it before I could take any footage The tiramisu was also top tier and was served with dark chocolate covered coffee cherries, which accentuated the coffee notes of the tiramisu perfectly in both texture and flavor. Service was friendly and staff were approachable. Felt comfy and relaxing which is rare at higher end places.
Jae
We had dinner reservations at Messina to celebrate a friend's birthday and to experience the new spot, and we're so happy we did! It stands out as the only Italian gem in Queen Anne. Plus it's walking distance from Climate Pledge so it's perfect for grabbing pre/post dinner and drinks and for great food and service.Our dining experience was amazing. We ordered the eggplant caponata, meatballs, and broccolini – all absolute winners. Our entrees were just as good. The dolce e piccante pizza nailed the sweet-heat balance with its doughy, crunchy crust. The short rib lasagna, osso buco, and pomodoro pasta were spot-on. And their zeppoli desserts were heavenly! I could eat a dozen of those.Our server was engaging and the entire experience exceeded our expectations for such a busy place. Big props to the friendly owner, who made sure our dining experience was top-notch. His inspiring life story and service in the army definitely deserve recognition.We'll definitely be back. Can't wait to check out their brunch!
Ritish Chugh
Ambience : 3/5Food : 1/5Service : 2/5Below average food. Everything that was ordered lacked flavor and left a lot to be desired. These included bland wings, pizza (which was burnt and super salty ) and flavorless broccolini.Not sure if we caught them in a busy night after the kraken game or the chefs change from full service to happy hour menu.Also it took them 12 mins from us being seated to be asked for water / drinks.
David C.
Fantastic restaurant! Amazing staff and excellent food!!! This is a must try location with a great vibe. Anytime I'm in Seattle, I'll come back to this location.
Wm C.
The service was great, but each of the four dishes we ordered was overly salted. This seems lazy and it should have been better.
drinks and service were good (the only reason I'd give it a 2/5). We ordered the short rib lasagna and bolognese. Pasta was undercooked. Lasagna ingredients didn't seem fresh and was overall kind of underwhelming
Alana Noe
Food was amazing! Vodka pasta is our highlight. Creamy, spicy and so flavorful! The pork shank literally falls off the bone and portions are huge too! The place can be a little loud in the back. I wish the services wasn’t as rushed as it was. They cleared our plates while we were eating lol and came and asked multiple times if they can take the plates away during our first 30 mins.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Martyn L.
We have eaten at Messina twice since it opened in November 2023. It is high-end Italian restaurant with modern cuisine and a large attractive space. The location is a short walk from the Lower Queen Anne theatres and Climate Pledge Arena. There is plenty of easy paid parking nearby, and street parking too on a quieter day. The interior is trying to be hip. The front section is attractive and modern, while the back section is decorated in a very different style with posters of sports stars. The menu selection is good but not amazing. There are a good range of appetizers and then pizzas, pastas and meats. But there are less things that I am excited about than I would hope for. Service was great. All our servers were friendly, helpful and prompt. On one visit our food was delayed, and they offered us a free dessert. On our first visit, I started with a salumi board, which was delicious but way too large for my needs. It is described as '3 meats and 2 cheeses' and was delicious but was really gigantic and only appropriate for sharing. Next time around I started with the Caesar salad which was also great - despite the crouton-crumbs having replaced croutons. One time I got a pizza, but I wanted a modification (removal of an ingredient) and the server was sceptical - she asked if I was allergic. I said that I was not but just didn't like those things, and so she indicated she'd ask the kitchen. Frankly, I was about to suggest adding an ingredient but her response made me hold back on any more modifications. The pizza was great - my favourite of the things I have tried here with a very well-made crust - but it is also very large and none of the variations have toppings that I love, so I am not sure whether I can order it again in future given the attitude to ingredient changes. On my next visit I had the steak, which was way too large at 25oz (bone in), but tasted great. Overall, I think food quality is good (but not amazing), and this will become one of our favourite lower Queen Anne places. My wife liked the food more than I did - she liked her entrees on both visits (pastas) and loves the selection of appetizers. Overall, this is a great addition to the limited selection of higher end restaurants in Lower Queen Anne. Recommended.
Kaylana Faulkner
Wonderful dining experience, the gluten free pizza is spectacular! They have a stellar wine and cocktail selection. Luxury dining atmosphere with reasonable prices.Dietary restrictions: The best gluten free pizza I’ve ever had! They have many delicious gluten free options!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Italian Meatballs, Margherita, Eggplant Caponata, Arugula Salad
Danielle Fisher
Average at best, would not recommend especially for the
Went to Messina for brunch on Easter Sunday and had an outstanding experience. Every single staff member we interacted with was excellent - super helpful, accommodating, friendly, and fun. As a bonus, the food was really good. We had five different brunch items and loved them all. I highly recommend for brunch and will definitely go back.
Came in with a party of 6, so much fun, great recommendations from our server Gabriella. The pasta board is so fun if you have enough people to share with.
Gabriella was our server and she gave fantastic service! She was very helpful with recommendations, fast and efficient. The food was delicious overall especially the pasta board.
Antonio and his team did such a great job making last nights dinner extra special and delicious! Can't wait to go back to try more of the menu, every bite we had was delicious!
I found the atmosphere pleasing and the staff friendly, attentive and welcoming. I ordered a glass of Sangiovese wine, the roasted beat salad and the triangle cacio e pepe. The roasted beet salad was good and large enough for two. I was surprised by the small amount of pasta in the serving. I could almost count the pasta on my plate by just looking at it. Italian restaurants love serving little pasta in big, huge bowls to give the impression of elegance and abundance. It doesn't work. I, like other reviewers, found their pasta undercooked. I'd ask the waitstaff to tell the kitchen to boil it a little longer unless you like your pasta chewy and stuck together. The sauce was smooth (no lumps) and tasted as I would expect. Another guest at our table had the osso buco (pork shank). It was surprisingly large. I saw another table order the pasta flight (5 pastas served in a long board). This would be great for a table of 3-5. Serving sizes on this presentation looked the same size (or larger) than the individual serving. At $100 it is probably more cost effective for a larger group. However the pasta looks as if it will cool quickly being it is open on a board and not contained in bowls. I would like to go back and try other things but for now I would just give this an overall 3 star rating and would go find Italian food elsewhere.
Modern Italian @eatmessina I love wild, foraged mushrooms - it holds a special place in my heart just like this funghi pizza. They did not waste any real estate, the entire pizza was evenly covered with duxelles, foraged mushrooms, caramelized onion, thyme, taleggio. It's an art form. The crust is also amazing. It tastes like they flew in a 100 year old starter from Calabria to make the pizza dough. Each bite had perfect chew, character and just the right amount of crunch. I look forward to making breakfast pizza with the leftovers by adding an egg on top when reheating in my air fryer for a quick, delicious meal. Then I will top with arugula & drizzle with evoo. I also ordered the seafood fritto misto which is battered calamari, shrimp, hen of the woods, bell peppers perfectly fried with a side of Calabrian aioli. It really is a thing of beauty, irresistible with lemon juice. I inhaled it before I could take any footage The tiramisu was also top tier and was served with dark chocolate covered coffee cherries, which accentuated the coffee notes of the tiramisu perfectly in both texture and flavor. Service was friendly and staff were approachable. Felt comfy and relaxing which is rare at higher end places.
We had dinner reservations at Messina to celebrate a friend's birthday and to experience the new spot, and we're so happy we did! It stands out as the only Italian gem in Queen Anne. Plus it's walking distance from Climate Pledge so it's perfect for grabbing pre/post dinner and drinks and for great food and service.Our dining experience was amazing. We ordered the eggplant caponata, meatballs, and broccolini – all absolute winners. Our entrees were just as good. The dolce e piccante pizza nailed the sweet-heat balance with its doughy, crunchy crust. The short rib lasagna, osso buco, and pomodoro pasta were spot-on. And their zeppoli desserts were heavenly! I could eat a dozen of those.Our server was engaging and the entire experience exceeded our expectations for such a busy place. Big props to the friendly owner, who made sure our dining experience was top-notch. His inspiring life story and service in the army definitely deserve recognition.We'll definitely be back. Can't wait to check out their brunch!
Ambience : 3/5Food : 1/5Service : 2/5Below average food. Everything that was ordered lacked flavor and left a lot to be desired. These included bland wings, pizza (which was burnt and super salty ) and flavorless broccolini.Not sure if we caught them in a busy night after the kraken game or the chefs change from full service to happy hour menu.Also it took them 12 mins from us being seated to be asked for water / drinks.
Fantastic restaurant! Amazing staff and excellent food!!! This is a must try location with a great vibe. Anytime I'm in Seattle, I'll come back to this location.
The service was great, but each of the four dishes we ordered was overly salted. This seems lazy and it should have been better.
Restaurantji Recommends
drinks and service were good (the only reason I'd give it a 2/5). We ordered the short rib lasagna and bolognese. Pasta was undercooked. Lasagna ingredients didn't seem fresh and was overall kind of underwhelming
Food was amazing! Vodka pasta is our highlight. Creamy, spicy and so flavorful! The pork shank literally falls off the bone and portions are huge too! The place can be a little loud in the back. I wish the services wasn’t as rushed as it was. They cleared our plates while we were eating lol and came and asked multiple times if they can take the plates away during our first 30 mins.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
We have eaten at Messina twice since it opened in November 2023. It is high-end Italian restaurant with modern cuisine and a large attractive space. The location is a short walk from the Lower Queen Anne theatres and Climate Pledge Arena. There is plenty of easy paid parking nearby, and street parking too on a quieter day. The interior is trying to be hip. The front section is attractive and modern, while the back section is decorated in a very different style with posters of sports stars. The menu selection is good but not amazing. There are a good range of appetizers and then pizzas, pastas and meats. But there are less things that I am excited about than I would hope for. Service was great. All our servers were friendly, helpful and prompt. On one visit our food was delayed, and they offered us a free dessert. On our first visit, I started with a salumi board, which was delicious but way too large for my needs. It is described as '3 meats and 2 cheeses' and was delicious but was really gigantic and only appropriate for sharing. Next time around I started with the Caesar salad which was also great - despite the crouton-crumbs having replaced croutons. One time I got a pizza, but I wanted a modification (removal of an ingredient) and the server was sceptical - she asked if I was allergic. I said that I was not but just didn't like those things, and so she indicated she'd ask the kitchen. Frankly, I was about to suggest adding an ingredient but her response made me hold back on any more modifications. The pizza was great - my favourite of the things I have tried here with a very well-made crust - but it is also very large and none of the variations have toppings that I love, so I am not sure whether I can order it again in future given the attitude to ingredient changes. On my next visit I had the steak, which was way too large at 25oz (bone in), but tasted great. Overall, I think food quality is good (but not amazing), and this will become one of our favourite lower Queen Anne places. My wife liked the food more than I did - she liked her entrees on both visits (pastas) and loves the selection of appetizers. Overall, this is a great addition to the limited selection of higher end restaurants in Lower Queen Anne. Recommended.
Wonderful dining experience, the gluten free pizza is spectacular! They have a stellar wine and cocktail selection. Luxury dining atmosphere with reasonable prices.Dietary restrictions: The best gluten free pizza I’ve ever had! They have many delicious gluten free options!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Italian Meatballs, Margherita, Eggplant Caponata, Arugula Salad
Average at best, would not recommend especially for the
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3