Really wanted to love this place but won’t be back. Food wasn’t the best.
Rob Cruz
It looks dark and unclean..
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
Calvin Bui
Tamarind Tree isn’t just another Vietnamese restaurant — it’s part of Seattle’s culinary story. Hidden behind an unassuming parking lot, the space opens into a warm, inviting dining room filled with conversation, soft lighting, and the fragrant aroma of fresh herbs and simmering broth. The atmosphere feels both elevated and approachable, making it a spot you can enjoy for casual meals or special gatherings.
The Food The menu is built around vibrant, thoughtful cooking. Every dish arrives balanced and beautifully presented — broths are fragrant and layered, noodles are springy, and proteins come out tender and flavorful. Small plates and desserts carry the same attention to detail, from fresh rolls to rich coconut-based sweets. It’s food that satisfies on every level: comforting, soulful, and made with pride.
Service & Atmosphere Service is attentive without being overbearing. Staff move quickly, answer questions with care, and ensure food arrives hot. The dining room is spacious yet cozy, with a steady energy that reflects the restaurant’s popularity. Even when packed, the flow feels smooth and welcoming.
Practical Details • Vegetarian options: Yes — several dishes can be made meat-free. • Dietary restrictions: Staff are knowledgeable about adjustments (note that fish sauce is common). • Parking: Limited lot + street parking; be prepared to walk a short distance. • Kid-friendliness: Relaxed vibe works well for families. • Wheelchair access: Ground-level entry; seating area is mostly accessible.
Final Take Tamarind Tree delivers more than just a meal — it offers a full dining experience rooted in tradition and care. Five stars for food that comforts, service that feels genuine, and an atmosphere that makes you want to return time and again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Harry Walker
Delicious food. Some of the best Vietnamese food I have had! Huge portions as well which is always a plus.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Nick Phan
Chili lemongrass beef rice is very good👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tony Luong
The vibe inside this place was really nice but unfortunately the outside was pretty run down. I'm first generation Vietnamese and I do know my Vietnamese food very well given that I'm from the Bay area. I really appreciated that they have a lot of traditional Vietnamese items that you don't see in a lot of menus here in Seattle, but the prices, food was just okay for the amount of money they charged. Great service and great drinks!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Janet
The Tamarind Tree is - by far - my favorite restaurant in Seattle. The food and drinks are exquisite, and the atmosphere inside is peaceful and intimate, even though it's a pretty large space. I especially recommend the Hến Xúc bánh đa ~ Baby clams rice cracker....WOW!!!!! The area surrounding Tamarind Tree continues to get more rundown, closed shops, etc....yet this place is a GEM.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Parnisia The Recess Guide
A Somatic Portal Disguised as a Restaurant — With One Human Flaw
Review by a nervous system architect, spiritual strategist, and founder of Brain and Body Recess™
There are restaurants—and then there are sensory sanctuaries that recalibrate your entire frequency. Tamarind Tree belongs to the latter. But not for the reasons you might think.
Tucked behind buildings that look like forgotten dreams on Jackson Street, the exterior says nothing. And yet, that’s where the metaphor begins. Healing rarely announces itself with flash. Real nourishment, like real transformation, arrives softly… and asks if your body is ready to receive.
From the moment I entered, I felt the shift:
Not in the menu. In the field.
The lighting, the layout, the sacred pacing of time—this wasn’t dining. This was digestive ceremony. My nervous system took its first exhale of the day.
We were beyond hungry. Spiritually depleted. But the turmeric rice cakes? Resurrected us. The tofu rolls held a kind of ancestral memory. The fish sauce whispered intention. My cognac sparkler? Liquid elegance. I’ve trained with top chefs, therapists, and somatic researchers—this place understands the alchemy of taste.
And yet… the human flaw.
Our waitress.
She vanished when presence was needed most. Ignored eye contact. Dodged subtle cues. We flagged her down three times—for basic things. The food may have fed our soul, but the service broke the spell. And that matters.
Because in both restaurants and life, it’s not just the dish. It’s the energetic handoff. The unseen layer of care. I left full, but unfinished.
Which is exactly why I created Brain and Body Recess™—to bring completion to the healing experience. Not just taste—but touch, tempo, tone. We don’t just feed the body. We hold the human.
So yes, visit Tamarind Tree. Let your senses remember something sacred.
But if you’re still hungry afterward—for consistency, reverence, or regulated presence—
One of favorite restaurants in Seattle, have been here many times AAA+++
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
KUN HU
Nice deco, Great service and good food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Sophie N
We ordered the 7 courses of beef and that was quite an experience! Everything was very good, special mention for the grilled beef with pork belly and the congee that were my favorites. The big meatball didn't taste fresh though and I couldn't eat it. The atmosphere is very nice and the staff as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
dave watson
It was to go and I had a Burma chili bowl with grilled pork.
Food: 5
Thanh-Tung Ho
My family’s favorite spot for over 15 years! We even ordered food for our wedding reception. Best Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle area.
Really wanted to love this place but won’t be back. Food wasn’t the best.
It looks dark and unclean..
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 4
Tamarind Tree isn’t just another Vietnamese restaurant — it’s part of Seattle’s culinary story. Hidden behind an unassuming parking lot, the space opens into a warm, inviting dining room filled with conversation, soft lighting, and the fragrant aroma of fresh herbs and simmering broth. The atmosphere feels both elevated and approachable, making it a spot you can enjoy for casual meals or special gatherings.
The Food
The menu is built around vibrant, thoughtful cooking. Every dish arrives balanced and beautifully presented — broths are fragrant and layered, noodles are springy, and proteins come out tender and flavorful. Small plates and desserts carry the same attention to detail, from fresh rolls to rich coconut-based sweets. It’s food that satisfies on every level: comforting, soulful, and made with pride.
Service & Atmosphere
Service is attentive without being overbearing. Staff move quickly, answer questions with care, and ensure food arrives hot. The dining room is spacious yet cozy, with a steady energy that reflects the restaurant’s popularity. Even when packed, the flow feels smooth and welcoming.
Practical Details
• Vegetarian options: Yes — several dishes can be made meat-free.
• Dietary restrictions: Staff are knowledgeable about adjustments (note that fish sauce is common).
• Parking: Limited lot + street parking; be prepared to walk a short distance.
• Kid-friendliness: Relaxed vibe works well for families.
• Wheelchair access: Ground-level entry; seating area is mostly accessible.
Final Take
Tamarind Tree delivers more than just a meal — it offers a full dining experience rooted in tradition and care. Five stars for food that comforts, service that feels genuine, and an atmosphere that makes you want to return time and again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious food. Some of the best Vietnamese food I have had! Huge portions as well which is always a plus.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Chili lemongrass beef rice is very good👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The vibe inside this place was really nice but unfortunately the outside was pretty run down. I'm first generation Vietnamese and I do know my Vietnamese food very well given that I'm from the Bay area. I really appreciated that they have a lot of traditional Vietnamese items that you don't see in a lot of menus here in Seattle, but the prices, food was just okay for the amount of money they charged. Great service and great drinks!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
The Tamarind Tree is - by far - my favorite restaurant in Seattle. The food and drinks are exquisite, and the atmosphere inside is peaceful and intimate, even though it's a pretty large space. I especially recommend the Hến Xúc bánh đa ~ Baby clams rice cracker....WOW!!!!! The area surrounding Tamarind Tree continues to get more rundown, closed shops, etc....yet this place is a GEM.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
A Somatic Portal Disguised as a Restaurant — With One Human Flaw
Review by a nervous system architect, spiritual strategist, and founder of Brain and Body Recess™
There are restaurants—and then there are sensory sanctuaries that recalibrate your entire frequency. Tamarind Tree belongs to the latter. But not for the reasons you might think.
Tucked behind buildings that look like forgotten dreams on Jackson Street, the exterior says nothing. And yet, that’s where the metaphor begins. Healing rarely announces itself with flash. Real nourishment, like real transformation, arrives softly… and asks if your body is ready to receive.
From the moment I entered, I felt the shift:
Not in the menu. In the field.
The lighting, the layout, the sacred pacing of time—this wasn’t dining. This was digestive ceremony. My nervous system took its first exhale of the day.
We were beyond hungry. Spiritually depleted. But the turmeric rice cakes? Resurrected us. The tofu rolls held a kind of ancestral memory. The fish sauce whispered intention. My cognac sparkler? Liquid elegance. I’ve trained with top chefs, therapists, and somatic researchers—this place understands the alchemy of taste.
And yet… the human flaw.
Our waitress.
She vanished when presence was needed most. Ignored eye contact. Dodged subtle cues. We flagged her down three times—for basic things. The food may have fed our soul, but the service broke the spell. And that matters.
Because in both restaurants and life, it’s not just the dish. It’s the energetic handoff. The unseen layer of care. I left full, but unfinished.
Which is exactly why I created Brain and Body Recess™—to bring completion to the healing experience. Not just taste—but touch, tempo, tone. We don’t just feed the body. We hold the human.
So yes, visit Tamarind Tree. Let your senses remember something sacred.
But if you’re still hungry afterward—for consistency, reverence, or regulated presence—
you’ll find me nearby.
We turn nourishment into leadership.
One nervous system at a time.
#BrainAndBodyRecess #HealingIsRevolutionary #RecessRequired
#SomaticLuxury #EatFeelLead #ServiceIsSacred
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
They are always right about their food. They never disappoint us with their food. If you don't know where to eat, try this one.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was salty to me. Outside of the restaurant wad scary.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
One of favorite restaurants in Seattle, have been here many times AAA+++
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nice deco, Great service and good food.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
We ordered the 7 courses of beef and that was quite an experience! Everything was very good, special mention for the grilled beef with pork belly and the congee that were my favorites. The big meatball didn't taste fresh though and I couldn't eat it. The atmosphere is very nice and the staff as well!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was to go and I had a Burma chili bowl with grilled pork.
Food: 5
My family’s favorite spot for over 15 years! We even ordered food for our wedding reception. Best Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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