« Phinney Ridge-Greenwood Restaurants

24 responses so far ↓

• 1 PAS915 // Sep 21, 2008 at 11:46 am

  More upscale spot for us veggies to go to. Pricey, so I tend to only go on special occasions, but I do enjoy it when I go.

• 2 seattle mike // Sep 27, 2008 at 10:13 pm

  I’ve found the food beautiful but bland, but it may just be me because almost everyone else seems to love this place.

• 3 ivoryhalo // Sep 30, 2008 at 11:43 pm

  really great food. subpar service, but I will always go back for the food!

• 4 Bree // Oct 1, 2008 at 10:10 am

  One of my top two favorite veggie places in Seattle. Makes for a great date night. Classy and flavorful!

• 5 The Boss of You // Nov 2, 2008 at 10:39 pm

  The food is nothing I can’t make at home. I don’t get the allure, unless everyone else is a so-so home cook.

• 6 Paul // Jan 7, 2009 at 11:06 pm

  I agree with Seattle Mike. I thought everything looked wonderful. However, of the three dishes I ordered, the first was flavorless, the next had an offensive, metallic-tasting chutney on top, and the third was so over-salted that I had to send it back. I was friends with a chef who worked here several years ago. He told me that the owners placed all importance on the appearance of their food and had little interest in how it tasted. It appears this has not changed.

• 7 JJ // Jan 15, 2009 at 5:15 pm

  This is the kind of place that gives vegetarian food a bad name.

• 8 John // Mar 3, 2009 at 9:59 pm

  I just got back from eating at Carmelita. I had heard good things, but my food was no particularly good (especially for the price), and the service was just bad. I am not a vegetarian, so maybe my opinion won’t matter to this restaurant’s primary audience. However, I won’t go back here.

• 9 Hinto // Apr 11, 2009 at 4:55 pm

  We were excited about the new chef, having been big Carmelita fans for years now. The 3 course menu for $30 was also alluring. We went into the restaurant excited and optimistic for a great meal.

  Sadly, I was very disappointed. While my appetizer was good (fried, so you can’t go wrong), my entree which was a pizza, was so salty, so amazingly salty, that I’m bloated like a balloon today. The inside of my mouth is all ripped up.

  Our waitress forgot about us after desert was served and a full 30 minutes went by before desert arrived until we received our check.

  This was by far the worst Carmelita experience I’ve had. I will go back, however, the next time the food is that salty, I’m sending it back.

• 10 Lisa // Apr 26, 2009 at 9:39 am

  Bland and unexciting.

  Black quinoa croquettes with avocado mouuse was mushy and unexciting…too many mushy soft textures, maybe something crunchy would have livened it up like some fried shallots or something? The avocado mousse was an army green color and tasted like they used avocados that were over ripe.

  Ice cream cookie desserts: the cookies were so hard they practically break your teeth and the ice cream mushes out of the sides when you bite down so all you’re getting is a cookie bite that’s more like chewing on gravel.
  The previous chef was excellent although there were some misses there too.

  We have had one good dish since the new chef started but they took it off of the menu.

• 11 Phinneyman // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:55 pm

  I used to love this place, too. I’m not vegeterian, but the food used to be so good that I kept coming back anyway. The flavor combinations and textures were intriguing and tasty. Clearly, something changed. Although the food isn’t bad, it’s just okay. The entrees seemed small when I had dinner recently and I couldn’t not eat my meal it so unappealing. I can’t justify paying those prices for ho-hum food and small portions that speak more to pretense than flavor. I miss the fig pizza and pearl cous cous dishes. Sadly, I’m not going back.

• 12 CH // Jul 20, 2009 at 6:45 am

  I used to love Carmelita. But, I don’t like what it has become lately. They have added a bar and taken away lots of tables. “Farewell” to the quiet, intimate feel. And you better get a reservation now. It’s louder and more crowded than before. Luckily, the food is still good (if a little overpriced). But, the waitress we had last week was horrible! I hope the service improves, or we won’t be going back.

• 13 rachel // Jul 28, 2009 at 9:38 pm

  I love the new bar at Carmelita. It gives the restaurant a whole new feel, while still keeping the stuff we love. I’ve been waiting for my cocktail and here it is!

• 14 Sue // Aug 18, 2009 at 5:42 pm

  My husband and I tried out their happy hour last week and we were very satisfied. Everything on their HH menu is just five dollars and well worth it. Drinks were unique and delicious.

• 15 carol // Aug 22, 2009 at 10:16 am

  We went to Carmelita last night. We had Peruvian quinoa croquettes with Avocado mousse that were great (we got two orders!) Also had great gnocchi, ravioli and foccacia. I had the English Picnic cocktail also. It was divine. Love the bar.

• 16 Steve // Aug 24, 2009 at 7:33 pm

  We gave up going here after half a dozen visits or so, the last 3 of which I swore were my last. The food was good but not great. After one spoonful of soup, an island appeared in the middle of the bowl: it was *that* convex and meagerly portioned!
  I had a dessert dish literally dropped on my table with the server running away so fast that I couldn’t relate that we had no silverware to enjoy it. I had to find my own! short version: mediocre service at best, ok food.
  I’m a veg who’d rather cross town for something better.

• 17 phidge // Aug 29, 2009 at 10:23 pm

  My wife and i have been here a few times and found it decent but expensive. The last time i was not impressed. I guess eating less is a good idea, but the portion sizes at this place are a joke. Service was weak and we were eating at 5:30 with the place empty. I did stop by recently for the new happy hour deal, and thought it was pretty good. (and i didn’t have to spend $70 and go home and eat a banana)

• 18 rachel // Sep 22, 2009 at 7:22 am

  Another great meal at Carmelita. The ricotta gnocchi were perfect and I thought the portion size was fine. Previous to our meal, we had appetizers at Ocho and I had a glorified crouton for $2. It was good, but I’m just sayin’! Small is the new black.

• 19 Susan // Sep 25, 2009 at 2:12 pm

  Ate at Carmelita last night for Dish Up Literacy - food was fabulous! Service was great and I love that they support community organizations. Try the roasted tomato pizza!

• 20 hinto // Oct 27, 2009 at 9:07 pm

  One question…. why does the new chef at Carmelita hate vegetables? An immediate inquiry should be made by the food police.

• 21 Steve // Oct 29, 2009 at 12:56 pm

  Consistently mediocre. I really want to like this place since it is so close to home, and go once or twice a year just to see if anything has changed. Just went last week — still as bland and unremarkable as ever. I’ll continue to make the trek to Madison Park for great veg cuisine at Cafe Flora.

• 22 rachel // Nov 7, 2009 at 10:04 pm

  Great sweet potato gnocchi, yummy spinach watercress salad and a Sugar Plum cocktail that makes you think of the holidays. I don’t know what Steve and hinto’s collective problem is. Thank you, Carmelita.

• 23 heh // May 26, 2010 at 3:54 pm

  READ THE REVIEWS ON YELP. NASTY.

• 24 SunsetSu // Jun 1, 2010 at 12:33 am

  The whole place seems over-hyped. I paid way too much for what I got - small portions that took too long to arrive.

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