Bateau Reviews

The highpoint of this restaurant is that they dry-age their stakes in-house. They are amazing stakes, but expensive. The service was top notch.

Let me start by saying that I suspect that success or failure of your experience here will be dependent upon your server. Christy, our server, was a superstar. When you arrive you see a board on the wall listing each and every cut of meat available that night. And every few minutes someone with a loooooooooong stick will come out and cross off what people ordered in the last few minutes. This creates a sense of urgency! So many choices (many of which I had never heard of!)! So little time! Look, there are some more cuts we missed out on because we were slow and confused! Help us! Christy stepped in. Calm ensued. We learned about the process. About the cuts. Many questions. Many answers. The food was delicious. We shared a couple of new-to-us cuts of beef, some sides, a relatively cheap bottle of Bordeaux wine, and a delicious dessert. The whole bill, service charge included, was $276.00. Overall, a great dinner. Thank you to everyone at Bateau who made it happen!

The front of the house of this restaurant ruined the meal. I am from NY and it was apparent he/she had no interest in providing a quality Steakhouse experience. Rude, arrogant and inattentive. Im almost unable to write this because the experience was “that bad”…. Steak was overcooked and cold and the lemon butter sauce was burnt. I am still shocked at the prices of this NON Steakhouse, steakhouse. Save your money and grab seafood in Seattle, leave the steaks for the East Coast!!!! Just one mans opinion

I've been here multiple times and the meat/steak has always been done right. Quality meats, unique cuts, excellent service what more can you ask for?

We were really looking forward to a more modern, steakhouse for a special dinner. The concept is good--read their webpage. Service excellent. Atmosphere and decor beautiful. However, at the prices charged which is close to $100/pound for basic cuts, the steaks and sides have to be good or better. It is the complete opposite. The two cuts we had lack flavor, marbling, and way undercut further highlighting the lackluster flavor of the meat. I personally would not use this beef or a stir fry or stew at home. If you want to feel special and pay for it, like going to a spa, then by all means give it a try, but not worth it with other excellent steakhouses in Seattle and equally beautiful restaurants in Seattle. A few specific notes; Steaks are not seared. More like baked. Medium rare is actually rare. A paltry amount of mashed potato and while good, it had too much butter/ cream. It’s unnecessary. No green salad is a travesty and deserts don’t inspire. Mushrooms had a funny taste to them--tried too hard to be different. Sitting under the chalk board was mildly annoying. The restaurant is stunningly beautiful in its simple design and color schemes -one of the best set ups in the city and the staff seem like they are really trying.

I love beef. I love a good steak. My other reviews are a testament to my love of steak houses. I wanted to love Bateau. The concept is brilliant. The restaurant has its own Farm. They butcher their own beef and each night have only a selected number of cuts available. As each cut is sold they mark it off a blackboard. By the end of the night many cuts are gone so plan your visit accordingly. Some of the cuts are less common and some of the steaks are well aged. The prices are steakhouse expensive. My tablemates and I order a variety of preparations. Much to the surprise of my steak loving spouse and retired chef/restaurateur brother-in-law, the steaks were not very good. They really did not like the flavor of theirs. Mine, and if I recall correctly, was a ribeye, was better and I finished it. They were disappointed. I was underwhelmed. At this point I usually comment on the service and room atmosphere of restaurants. Both of these key restaurant elements were good at Bateau. But for us, on this night, the steak failed. You’ll see other rave reviews on Tripadvisor so perhaps the chef, or the beef, just had a bad night. We won’t return

After reading some outstanding reviews in the local newspapers, considering that Bateau is on "Eater's 21 best restaurants new restaurants in America" list, and knowing the reputation of Renee Erickson's restaurants around Seattle, we decided to take our out of town guests here for a special dinner. I would have to say it is a bit of a different experience. The restaurant specializes in all things beef, sources the meat from two local farms, and makes a point to use "all of the animal". The available cuts and prices are listed on a chalkboard. Our server was very knowledgeable about beef and explained that since they use all parts of the animal and have a limited shipment of beef per week, that cuts will be crossed off the chalkboard menu as they become unavailable. As we ate, we saw all the cuts we chose crossed off as well as many others, hence, the suggestion to arrive early for the maximum choices as several other reviewers have noted. The remainder of the menu is very limited with a few starters and sides. Many of the cuts of beef seemed very pricey, so it was a bit of a challenge to make a good choice without breaking the bank. That said, everything we were served had outstanding flavor. The mashed potatoes were practically pureed (I prefer them a little more on the chunky side) and very flavorful. The summer squash was also very good. However, I have every confidence that the flavorful dishes all contained an inordinate amount of butter and beef fat. Suffice it to say, I do NOT want to know how many grams of fat were in my meal, but I can guess that it was off the charts - even to the point of being way beyond what I would normally choose on an "indulgent" meal. The dessert menu was also limited. Our dining companions enjoyed their chocolate mousse. The bread pudding I ordered was not really to my liking - too crunchy on top, not thick enough and too thin sauce. But again, the flavor was outstanding. The atmosphere is bright and informal. It is also a bit of a noisy space. I enjoyed the large open windows that allowed us to feel like we were outside even though we were dining inside. I'm glad we went and had the experience. I'm not sure we would return again, unless it were to try the burger ($18) and fries - I'm sure they would have an interesting twist. All in all, this seems to be a popular spot and was quite busy on a weekday evening.

We tried the 5 course tasting menu which was creative and beautifully presented, all 5 courses incorporated beef (beef tartare, pate, braised shank, beef consomme and a cake with beef something). Everything was super flavorful and enjoyable and the beverage pairings suited each dish. Everyone around us though was ordering super specific cuts of beef which we really think would've been the shining star in this restaurant. The steaks around us looked perfectly cut and in the moment that really was what we were craving - so do yourself a favor and skip the tasting menu. The decor of the restaurant is light and airy and very nice, the service was also good.

Aged Steak, from a local purveyor. What a great idea. Went there early (5:00) and was one of five tables that had clients. By the time our steaks had arrived, six items were sold out on the steak board. But the $150 plus items were still available. The setting was great, and the fries and the desert were spectacular. The salad was very good and interesting. The steaks were served alone on a plate, even though we ordered sides. As a result they looked a little sparse on the plate. And, they were both tough. I love aged meat, and even like a somewhat chewy steak. But what was proffered as similar to a filet mignon in tenderness, was closer to an undercooked flank. This was sufficiently disappointing that we won't return. There are too many other options within 200 meters. I like that they add the tip in to the bill, for the service was good, but this was not a $200 dinner for two in my honest estimation.

Lovely dinner. We did the tasting courses. Oddly, the beef course was the least of the bright spots. Terrific sides, appetizer course and dessert.

I've spoken to several people, including a concierge at the Four Seasons that think Bateau is the best restaurant in Seattle. Unfortunately, it didn't work for my wife or myself. I didn't want to drag down the restaurant's rating just because of a bad night, or a mismatch with my taste buds -- but, I don't know if we'll go back or not. We are steak eaters and there is plenty of steak at Bateau to pick from, in virtually every cut you can imagine, with three different aging periods and from three different farms. But .. options beyond the choice of steak are limited. Your option for the main course is: Steak and french fries, OR, French Fries and steak. I'm not sure what happens if someone in your party doesn't eat steak. I suspect there are other options, but I didn't see them. The french fries were great, but .. it's tough to build a reputation on french fries. The steak was good, but not the best I've had (and, we eat a lot of steak!) Compared to the Met Grill, Daniels Broiler or even Capital Grill I thought it was slightly lower quality at a higher price. Service was perfect, and the schtick is a lot of fun (you select from a chalk board, and they constantly walk around scratching steaks off the menu as you order.) Also, you can see into the steak locker where the steaks are hanging, and someone is working at all times in ridiculously low temperatures (29 degrees) to see that your steak is perfectly dry aged. But, schtick is old by the second visit and ultimately it comes down to the food and ambiance. If trying to impress a date, I can see that Bateau would be a must-do experience (once) but .. as a place you go back to repeatedly I have my doubts. The starters were excellent. My salad (a simple lettuce salad) was incredible, as was the more complex salad my wife ordered. We didn't try the deserts. The place itself is very nice; a good blend of casual and upscale. Not stuffy and not noisy, but very nice. As I'm typing this I'm thinking we should go back and give it another try. They really did do everything well .. I just thought the ultimate benefit of the aging versus the cost didn't add enough to the taste to justify the menu and limited main course options. Form your own opinion. If I go back I'll play it safer and order the filet. Bottom line -- Recommended, maybe?

Owned by the same people who do such a wonderful job on seafood at “The Walrus & Carpenter,” Bateau is a low-key restaurant offering high-end steaks at high-end prices. The dining room is sleek (almost stark) with slate tables and basketed lighting. The menu lists the several appetizers, then refers the diner to the chalkboard for the steaks for that meal. When a particular steak is ordered, someone actually wipes away that entry from the chalkboard. You decide if that’s cool or hokey. The chalkboard is almost impossible to read. Our waiter indicated that there was one paper copy of the steak list, which was brought to the table about 15 minutes later. Our table of six shared several appetizers, all of which were well prepared and delicious, particularly the sweetbreads. The French fries were fabulous and the fried cauliflower (cooked with hazelnut, brown butter, preserved lemon, nigella, and honey) was delightful. Main courses included the 32-oz cote de boeuf (bone-in ribeye), a strip steak, and the Bateau burger. Everyone enjoyed the meal, which, considering the hype and the prices, is actually a tepid review of the primary attraction of this restaurant. The wine list was extensive and the waiter was wonderful, explaining and describing things well and managing the changing decisions of the unruly group.

Twice now, this restaurant has refused to seat me and my group of co-founders, business owners, and security professionals. I travel to Seattle once a year for a security conference, and having eaten here once (someone else made reservations), I wanted to share that experience with friends. Last year and this year we got the same treatement - they take whatever number of people we come up with, subtract 1, and say "oh boy your party is too big, sorry maybe next time!" - no matter how many people we come in with. This picture was the view from the lobby when they argued "they were too full to take a party of 7". we were being discriminated against, and this is very strikingly tonedeaf for this city. basically, if you walk in, and FOR ANY REASON they decide "they dont like the look of you", they'll pull out this excuse and show you the door. avoid. SUPER pretentious.

Adventurous dining that does NOT have to be expensive. Plenty of offerings in the mid $20's on the daily board. Make a Rez, come early for the best selection as most cuts are limited. Don't be in a hurry. Entrees take about 40 minutes to prepare, so enjoy a "house cocktail" most are made with VSOP and are delicious. We each ordered a cut of meat we've never tried before. Be warned, when the waiter says "full flavored cut" translation "chewy". Every cut is pan grilled in butter, additional optional sides of butter are offered, but I was glad I went with a side of horseradish. Everyone loved their main cut but NONE of the sides got high marks. The service did not get high marks either but not worth complaining about. The hostesses were very helpful picking up the slack. We'll be coming back with friends who enjoy adventures in eating.

I am so upset about our experience last night. We’ve been hoping to try Bateau for a few years and thought for my birthday 🎂 we would book ahead of time. The restaurant is charming in appearance but don’t be fooled. This is a warning. The food and prices - especially the wine are obnoxiously priced. $100 per bottle of wine. The rude stuck up waiter who knows nothing about wine and didn’t even offer us bread- i guess you need to ask for it. For 4 of us our bill was 750$! I’d rather go to Canlis or better yet get a new purse. The salad was the best thing on the menu. Steaks are sliced but somewhere in the kitchen the juice is left behind. When plated its dry chewy and who needs butter slathered all over your steak? The desserts are strange. What about a chocolate gateau, Bateau? Oh! When we quickly left to go home to drink one of our nice bottles of Leonetti together- we saw a plant based ice cream shop! That looked much better than a $700 meal at Bateau that was in unsatisfactory, unsatisfying and upsetting. I wish we could have a redo on my birthday dinner but sadly I cannot. Lesson learned the hard way. IF you ignore this review- my advice- ask for free bread and a hamburger that’s NOT on the menu and maybe 1 glass of wine $22 which will make me and your wallet feel much better.

We ate at Bateau's and had a very good meal. It was a multi-course event; most were delicious but a few underwhelmed. Favs included the beef with butter and the octopus. The two salads were not as satisfying however. To give it its proper due, it might be worthwhile to return for a less expansive meal where we could concentrate more on a few items.

My husband and I love meat and Bateau is probably our favorite restaurant in Seattle. Excellent service, ambiance, food (including non-beef items!) and short cocktail list.

Absolutely the WORST dinner experience in all of my years sampling the restaurants in and around Seattle. Others in my party also had a horrible meal. They even said that my steak tasted like dirt. All of the hype and buildup was WAY overstated. Stay far away from this one.

You can tell immediately how carefully ingredients are sourced. Everything tastes as good as it can be, so go for tasting, not a huge plate so you can try as much as possible. The octopus was amazing, as were the NY steak and the tomahawk. I want the recipes for the sauces. It's a fun place, but also small. Make a res. And don't eat lunch first.

If you have the time and budget, check out Bateau. One of the best chefs in Seattle preparing locally sourced food and great steaks and burgers. It is high end on the food, but very relaxed and causal on the atmosphere. No pretense. We had salads, the octopus appetizer, split the burger and finished off with the sliced tenderloin. We also ordered some fantastic French wine...so we ended up around $170 a person. But you could easily do this restaurant for $100 - $125 a person. Worth every penny!

Renee Erickson's Boat street cafe was one of my all time favorite restaurants so was excited to try this one of hers. However, the steak was just... steak. Nothing different from what I can make at home, only 4X the price. We had excellent fries, but the other sides were heavy and sort of greasy. The service was excellent and the decor is great, but in the end the food is what counts.

We dined at Bateau on a whim and oh boy, are we happy that we did! It was late so after drooling over the amazing beef hanging in the dry aging room we decided on burgers. I have never thought that I could love a burger this much! It was rich, pure, mouthwatering, and just plain amazing. The frites with the aioli were mouth watering as well. Need I say more? I can't even imagine how delicious the steaks are. We will be back soon to find out! Oh my, I am salivating as I write this review!!

Well, maybe we shouldn't have been so excited to get our beef on. The four of us had high expectations and, quite frankly, were a little let down. First, the plus side: The initial greeting, service, and attention are top-notch. The menu can be a little complicated so having someone walk you through it all, make recommendations, ask good questions, and really listen was refreshing. Unfortunately, once we ordered our table became a bit of a wasteland. Maybe because the staff need to give everyone else that much attention at the start, they don't have time to come back? Maybe? On the plus side regarding food, my steak was delish (definitely get the anchovy butter!), the Bateau salad was tart and tasty. I also enjoyed the bread pudding. My fellow diners were not thrilled with their steaks. I kept asking what they thought and they kept replying, "meh." The mashed potato side is more like a puree dish and the mushroom side was overpowered by the herbs. I liked the frites but everyone else said they were way too salty. Had we had better service we would have ordered more drinks and different food; but we didn't so we didn't.

Unfortunately the steaks were way too lean. I was warned that they were grass fed but by the end of the 10th oz, my jaw was sore and I had to leave the steak on my plate unfinished. Appetizers and sides were excellent and it was good service but they add the 20% tip automatically, which I’ve never seen before.

My wife and I were looking forward to dinning at Bateau for the first time since we do like the Walrus and the Carpenter. Alas what a disappointing experience. The evening started well with a welcoming staff and prompt order but from there things went South... We waited, waited a long time to get our appetizers...We had the Chicory Salad and the Reuben and both were good. After another long wait we got our steaks. I had the Filet 8oz and my wife had the Denver 5oz. My Filet was basically a piece of rubber not what I would have expected from a place that prides itself with top aged meat. My wife's steak was OK not out of this world either. Both steaks and French fries were at most lukewarm (like they had been sitting for a while under a warming lamp). The French fries were missing salt and were not great either. Anyway for a $79 Filet steak I would have expected way better quality and the Bateau sunk on this one. We didn't dare to have dessert to avoid additional waiting time (we had been already there for 2 hours). Anyway Mrs Erickson lost our business on this one...

Expected a lot more. The entrance and reception is very chique, polite and friendly. But than it happens... I ordered the choice of the chef, a mixture of 5 different pieces of meat (in a steakhouse) combined with the right wines. After ordering, another waiter came to tell me that this would not be a smart choice, because non of the courses is steak.... okay, what else than? Than you get a very difficult story about more than 20 different cuts of meat (steaks), but noting is recognizable by normal terminology as t-bone, prime rib or sirloin. So you choose a part of a cow and they cross it on a chalkboard as being sold to make it even more exclusive. As site plates there is little to choose, I choose the mash potatoes and mushrooms and a glass of wine. The expensive red wine is brought in a white wine glass, very unprofessional! Others who ordered a bottle did have the right glasses. Although I had chosen the second largest piece of meat, I had to search for it on my plate, this could never ever be the ordered amount! But I had already the fourth waiter, all unfriendly, so none of them understood what I really ordered... also the portion of mashed potatoes was as much as 3 spoons! The taste of everything was okay, but very small portions! Than the last surprise is the bill: a fixed service percentage of 20% is charged over the already very overpriced bill. To summarize: too expensive, bad service by different waiters all the time, very small portions and high pressure to buy a too expensive cut (you can never check this), not any recommendation worthy! A waste of time and my evening is also ruined! Went to the Macdonald afterwards te get a full stomach.

I have never been to a restaurant like this. The waiters were very knowable on the cuts of beef. The sides are worth going for. The steak tartar wonderfully done. The desserts were good try something different the Beef tallow cake was wonderful along with the Boat Street bread pudding. The mushroom were very good too. The staff was very accommodating and were more than happy to help choice the right cut of beef. It had to be one of the best birthday dinners ever!

As a meat lover, the different choices of cuts of beef is unbelievable. The wait staff was knowledgeable, and took time in explaining the options. As there is a limited portion of each cuts, you might want to go there early, rather than late. I kept my meal simple, with only a salad, and a side of bread. The salad was a special of the evening, and very flavorable, felt like I ate a spring garden.

I'd pretty much echo everything in MEJ1234554321's review. When I looked at the menu and saw the prices, I wanted to believe the quality of the beef and the preparation would make it worth the cost. But they don't. The steak I had (ribeye) was very good, but not the best I've had by a long shot. They list the cuts from a single animal (in order from nose to tail) on the chalkboard and crossing them out when someone orders one. So if you go later in the evening, your selection might be limited. And good luck actually reading the chalkboard. Fortunately they also have a printed version. But yes, it was ridiculously overpriced. (If the price were reasonable I'd probably give it three stars.) A small serving of buttery mashed potatoes that weren't particularly buttery was $10. Even bread and butter are not included and cost $5. The best thing we ate was a fresh mozzarella starter that was a special (not on the menu). And the wine was good. But I will not ever go back there. I'd rather cook my own steak next time, or go to one of Seattle's other fine steakhouses.

Overall a very good experience, and we would happily go back or recommend to others with very deep pockets. The Good: -All the people we spoke to were warm, charming, and seemed genuinely interested in our enjoyment. -The bartender was great. Entertaining and knowledgable without being in your face about it. -Food was outstanding. 5 out of 5 on every dish we had. -Room was cute, love the big windows and the "meat locker". The challenges: -Music either wasn't on at all, was too quiet, or was playing brutal techno that didn't match the space -Arrived an hour early, said we were more than happy to wander the neighbourhood while waiting for our reservation, as the night was amazing. Was told to have a drink at the bar and we could be seated very shortly. 45 mins later... was still at the bar. Would have rather been out walking. -Not a lot of attention or concern about us until we ordered an expensive bottle of wine. -When ordering a nice bottle of wine and asking for it to be decanted, it should be done tableside, not hidden in a back room. If there isn't room to do so, that is not the patron's fault, but the design of the restaurant. -While the restaurant look is cute, the overwhelming amount of white made the room feel a little a hospital-esque. -Incredibly expensive. I understand good meat costs money, but with no prices listed on their website, be aware, this is a $100+ per person for food type of evening. Overall, a very good meal, that tasted fantastic and was expertly attended to once seated. Bring your 401k and a paintbrush.

Recently visited Bateau with a cousin and a friend who had never been there. They both loved the concept. We decided to share starters and then some cuts, for the three of us to have a try. The call-out would be that me and my friend had been to Ascend in Bellevue a couple of weeks before and we could compare. The experience at Ascend is extravagant, but Bateau is better when it comes to value, quality and service. The idea is fun (yet fancy) and interesting. We shared a Bateau Salad which had chickpeas, preserved vegetables and salami cotto. It was incredibly fresh. We also shared a Carpaccio, which was blended right with pickled rose, dill pollen and shallots. Both were very tasty starters! For our steaks we decided to go with three different cuts. Ranging in tenderness, fat and flavor. Our waiter was amazing in explaining how we could mix different cuts based on preference. His three recommendations were amazing. We tried the 9oz Gracilis, a 10oz Hip Cut Sirloin and a 8oz Tucson. The sizes were perfect for the three of us to share. We buttered the hip cut sirloin and the Tucson with bone marrow butter. The gracilis we tried with their preserved lemon and brown butter. We went medium-rare with the three cuts. It was perfect as each packed a very different flavor and texture, which were all pleasant for our palates.

I was very impressed by the quality and taste of the meat. One of the best steak meals I had ever. We didn't order the set menu, but rather sampled several different cuts of meat to share at the table. They came perfectly cut already in small portions for us to share. The starters and dessert were also delicious. We just followed the recommendation of our server and it was a treat! The cote the beuf was our favorite cut. They only have a limited number of cuts and they write them on a whiteboard. We came early and had no problem sampling all we wanted but they get crossed out the board really quickly and if you go late you may not find your top choices. Beware!. The server made a couple of small ordering and billing mistakes. It might have detracted from the experience if the food weren't so good, but it was a minor infraction in this case. Our bill was $140 per person with moderate consumption of middle range wine. Definitely one of my most expensive dinners in Seattle, but for a special occasional treat, I think it is worth the money if you can afford it. Overall a great experience!

Loved this place. The atmosphere is different. The moment you walk in, you get to see this giant chalkboard that outlines all the different steaks that are available. Not only do you get to read what you can get, but it is right next to an incredible display. The waiter explained that they get a complete beef every week. They then pretty much offer every cut that they can get. The options are endless. We particularly got a 21-day dry aged Tucson and a Ribeye Chuck End. Both were incredibly flavorful. The appetizers and dessert were also great. If you want to get a steak and be thrown into a different experience, Bateau is a great option. I dine at many other steakhouses in the Seattle area quite often and I can say that Bateau is the most unique of them all. The concept is different. It is entertaining just to see how they use an incredible long stick to cross off from the chalkboard what is being ordered. Will check it out again soon.

This place is definitely pricey but we had a lovely experience. We went almost immediately after work (around 5:30pm) and I think that's kinda key. On a giant chalkboard, they list all the different cuts of meat they have, what sizes and therefore, what prices. Once you order your cut, they cross if off the menu. So, if you go on the later side, chances are that the only options left will be the really expensive cuts, really small portions and/or not as good of cuts. Going on the earlier side allowed us to have virtually every option available to us. We both got really good cuts, on the average size but I believe they were a good $50 each. I don't remember if there were any cuts over $100 but they definitely had some in the $80 range. It was cool seeing the room with beef hanging. The decor is nice and simple while also being elegant. Our waiter was awesome - really knew his stuff and was able to educate us on everything. We went on a random Wednesday night and when we left, the place was getting full so they're obviously popular!

Our party of 4 arrived for our 7:30 reservation to find that at least 60% of the cuts of beef on the menu board were "sold out"! We asked if there had been a problem, but they assured us it was standard practice to have this limited selection at 7:30. We were astonished at the arrogance. They did make a great burger, though! Seattle, and Renee, offer many better restaurant choices!

After dining at Barnacle next door the night before, we quickly decided that we needed to go to Bateau the following night. Between the food (steak cooked to perfection, the to-die-for bread pudding dessert), the service, the ambiance and the new found friends that we made sitting next to us, the evening as a whole was one that we will never forget. Our dinner at Bateau was easilly in our top 5 dining experiences. Congratulations to Renee Ericsson and the Bateau team on doing an amazing job.

To call this a steakhouse is to do it an injustice. The variety of available meats are far more than just steaks and its a treat to be able to try something other than the standard cuts. We loved the "Velvet" cut, although we couldn't finish it! I wish this place was in my hometown!

A good friend is really up for trying the 'latest' in new dining venues, and I was in the mood for a thick, juicy steak; this seemed a good compromise ~~ ?? !! The concept is fine . . . all that jazz about local product and such. And, to be fair, the bathrooms are spectacular, with brilliant brass touches against gleaming white, and tiny-tiled floors. As for the interior decor of the restaurant . . . way too many tiny tables jammed cheek to jowl, without any noise-absorbing benefit to the decor. Definitely encourages guests to eat and run . . . but then, of course the purpose these days is to turn tables fast, eh ~~ A 'classic' steak house, this is NOT. Glaring white and bright, huge windows along the front wall which create too much brilliance in such a tiny space, to the extent that dining is not relaxing, especially in conjunction with abundant audio. As for the staff . . . doubt you'll find a more attractive and charming group of ladies anywhere! Truly skilled at compensating for the burger joint atmosphere, though it could help if they gave the one male server a few lessons along the way. Prices here are definitely on the high side for such a bare-bones setting, and indeed it does seem a challenge to get the beef cooked just right. Mine was too raw at first and then returned well done. Service is leisurely and respectful, and it was fun to watch the various cuts of beef disappear from the availability board; kudos for entertainment? heh In all, an elegant burger bar with tiny cocktails and cheerful staff . . . not a good old elegant kind of place at all.

I have frequented this place a few times, along with its sister restaurant / dessert bar at Boat Bar and General Porpoise. The spread in the courses was imposing, but playful in the beef marrow and steak. The bœuf tartare and dungeness crab doughnut were the right savories and at the right pace.

On the large, I have been a huge fan of Erickson’s restaurants, especially the Walrus and the Carpenter, sourcing quality is in the DNA of everything with her hands in it, but things took a nose dive from which recovery is uncertain on the night of my second visit to this steak house. Great wine and very good starters, but when the brisket my dinner companion ordered hit the table a dark cloud moved in and rained on our hither to happy hearts. It might just as well have been corned beef pulled room temp from the staff break table left over from a company party. Inedible, and that is not an exaggeration! My steak was fine, maybe if the bone marrow butter lent a slightly burnt hint to the meat, but a very expensive cut of beef and someone should know better than to let this happen without some warning. The smashed potatoes were the consistency of a thick gravy, and way way too buttery. The kale hard and bitter. I repeat the wine was spectacular, but you could pair an àMaurice with a mayonnaise sandwich and still have a great meal, and not wanting to ruin our birthday dinner good cheer (my dinner companion and I share the same birthday) we tried to grin and bare it, and we did, for the bulk of it. When the bread pudding came out like a floatation device after a sea ditched aircraft wreck, bobbing limply in a bowl of incongruous sweet cream, it was all I could do not to stand up and make a speech to the whole restaurant, because what made the whole dinner so incredibly unacceptable was the fact that we sent one main dish back and two sides unfinished and only one bite each of the desert, and all this happened while Renee Erickson herself was sitting right next to us, literally right next to us, not more than the width of one of her dinner companions. And not a clue, oblivious to the fact that two people came to her place of business, spent almost 400$, and both wished they would have just stayed home what with the difficulty of parking in Capital Hill. We’ve been ever generous in taking people to her restaurants in the past, god knows the money spent, but now it feels the curtain has been pulled aside! where once we thought there was a love for the dinner, we now only see coarse indifference, and when it comes to beef, let’s all be honest, you can go up to B&E and grab a filet and 7 minutes per side later, have one of the best meals of the year right in your house slippers.

The food was excellent, exceptional attention to quality placing food ethics high in the agenda. They provide a limited range of steaks from named farms including some unusual cuts. However they care about all the other ingredients as well, every part of the meal was good including an excellent grape must vinegar that dressed the salad. I strongly recommend this place, worth every penny.

Renee Erickson is a Seattle celebrity chef with a world wide reputation. Her name is "money" in the restaurant world. When Bateau opened it was hotter than a July day in Austin. Reservations were almost impossible to get. The fanfare has died down and you can get into Bateau easily. However, do you want to? Bateau is Erickson's take on a steak joint. Her twist is the beef comes from her own ranch, and you order by cut of meat. Bateau piggy backs on America's butcher trend, which has spread from coast to coast. Unfortunately, the steaks were mediocre, expensive and tiny. Sides weren't special either. The best aspect of Bateau is the service; warm, friendly and helpful. The room is nice too, bright and modern shabby chic. Yet, Bateau's newness and panache have withered, and my guess is it will have a short shelf life. Erickson and her investors will come out okay, and its closing will not have much affect.

My wife and I went with two other couples to Bateau. I didn't have knowledge of the restaurant but the other two couples did and were eager for the experience. I like the concept of all the animal being consumed. As you get there you look up at a chalkboard and see what cuts are still available. As the choices are selected during the evening they are crossed off. I must say for the prices of some of the cuts (20 oz Ribeye for $111 that one of our couples ordered) I was expecting more. I wouldn't call myself a food snob either. I travel a great deal around the U.S. And steakhouses are popular choices. I would say I wouldn't even rate this in the top 20 places in my book. My wife and I shared a 9 oz tri tip for $39; not a bad price. It was ok but it was moderately tough. Overall the meal averaged about $160 per person and that included wine, appetizers, hdesert, after dinner drinks. The atmosphere is nice and the restaurant is cozy. Overall, a nice expertise but I'm not sure if I'd go back again.

I read about Bateau online, and I really liked the idea of eating more sustainability. In the case of Bateau - to use everything from head to tail. We arrived for our reservation right at open, and were immediately seated. As this was our first visit, our server walked us through the concept of the restaurant, and started to ask how we like our beef and guided us what might work best for our family. We ended up ordering the following: - Potato Chips - OK, but overcooked. If it wasn't overcooked, it would've been so much better. - Billy Tomatoes - OK. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was fine. - Frites & Aioli - Good. A bit under-salted. - Fried Broccoli - Very good. The surprise dish of the night. Wasn't sure what to expect, but I really enjoyed this dish. Looks over-charred, but great flavour and crispy. - Cote de Boeuf (Tomahawk) - Very good. Very tender, lots of marbling, finished in butter. I do admit though - I felt it was something I could make at home. - Tallow Cake - OK. I liked how crispy it was. I didn't care for the toppings. Service was very good. Very helpful, professional and attentive. Overall, I had a nice dinner. Was the food itself spectacular? No, not really. But I do like the concept behind it, and that's what you're paying for to support it.

We were a party of 3. We each had delicious cocktails during the appetizer course and red wine with dinner. We shared the octopus (delicious! I don't usually like it), beef tartar and carpaccio. Then, we moved on to a shared meal of two cuts of beef (the culotte was amazing), and two sides. The kale was average, but the beets were unusual and tasty. Definitely worth a visit if you're a carnivore eager to try new beef-centric dishes.

We went to Bateau based on the reviews we saw online. We love the chef and have enjoyed her other restaurants. We found the dishes at Bateau to be uninspired and not even close in flavor to places like John Howie or El Gaucho. Not just the steaks but also the side dishes. We wish her well but we will not be back.

We loved everything about this restaurant. Our server was great! She seemed happy to be there, knowledgeable and she made us feel like guests through the whole experience. I had a short rib and my husband had a ribeye. Both were excellent and prepared to perfection. All the side dishes were excellent and paired well with the main dishes. I strongly recommend having the bread pudding with the Madeira to finish off the meal. We'll definitely be back!

I was skeptical of Bateau at first because I am not a huge steak eater but my boyfriend wanted to go and I am so so happy we did! People are complaining that it is overpriced but it's a steakhouse! They only have a few of each cut of meat available per night that they have on the chalkboard. We had a 930 reservation so there weren't too many options left when we arrived. I ended up getting the 9oz flank steak with bone marrow butter and it was amazing. We also got the pork belly and brisket reuben to start and the corn with our meal and every bite was better than the previous. I don't care for sweets but my boyfriend got the chocolate mousse for desert and he was in love. The service was amazing too and our waitress let my boyfriend try some different wines out so he could order the perfect glass. All in all, amazing meal and atmosphere. I will 100% go back again next time I'm in Seattle.

A brief summary of our visit: interesting concept, good food, average service, and quite a big bill! When we walked into the restaurant we were promptly greeted, seated, and provided with an explanation of the restaurant's concept. After that it was a little bit of a miss. We chose the five course tasting menu, which included a dessert incorporating beef. During our meal there was quite a delay between dishes, our drink order was forgotten, and there seemed to be a general lack of communication between the different members of the service team. I will give the staff kudos for apologizing after forgetting our drinks and for taking those items off of the final bill. Overall, it was a unique experience and the food was good, but given the delays and hefty price, I doubt we will return.

Seattle has a number of great steakhouses - from the Met Grill, Jaks, el gaucho, john howie. But bateau is a unique steak outting where there is not set standard menus of steak cuts but rather the rotating offerings that are listed on the board and when someone orders a particular cut then that item is gone. But whatever your choice, the food is delish and menu offers array of sides and appetizers to complement. We opted for the tasting menu which is a great way to enjoy a restaurant's offerings. Highly recommend.

Positives: Every person on the staff was terrific! The servers were pleasant, helpful, and knowledgeable. Their spin on the French 75 cocktail, crafted by the awesome Mario, who also helped with our service, is almost worthy of 5 stars by itself. The space is bright and welcoming and comfortable. The concept- as explained to me, is they get entire sides of beef and butcher it themselves and try to turn as much of it as they can into steaks. If I lived in the area it might be fun to try different cuts, days of aging, even different producers, and compare and contrast flavors, textures, so forth. But as a visitor, am I really likely to risk one of the few meals I will have in your city on an obscure cut of beef such as gracilis. We did not take the risk. It's not that others are not smart, cool, or edgy enough to offer tri-tip or short ribs as a steak, it's that in general those cuts don't make for a very good steak. Food: Started with the beef pate. It was terrific! The pickled raisins added the right sweetness and acidity to cut the richness of the pate. We had the bread and butter and the turnips as sides and both were just OK. My wife had a filet that was cooked just right with the bone marrow finishing butter and she loved it. I had a New York strip. For me it wasn't good. The fat at the edge hadn't been rendered down properly, and although it was cooked to a perfect medium rare as requested, it just wasn't that good of a piece of meat...tough, with grissle and the aforementioned undercooked fat. For people that love that grass-fed, aged meaty funkiness then I'm sure this could be a good place for you, but if you like juicy, tender steak then there are probably better options than this $75 14oz strip.

I went with a friend and had a fantastic meal with a very knowledgeable and helpful server. We loved the space it is comfortable and super energetic. Be prepared when the bill arrives it will hurt a little.

We are beef lovers and had high expectations of this restaurant. The selections were complicated, albeit interesting; however, after ordering three different cuts of beef to share amongst our table of four, we were underwhelmed with the preparation of beef. We did enjoy all of our side dishes, but we thought the beef was just ok and actually sent part of our selections back for a little more cooking time. The wine selection was just ok and we were a little disappointed that there were not more Washington wine selections, given the number of great wines available from the state of Washington.

Steakhouse with a large selection of cuts available served with butter of choice. Some delicious options for starters and sides also. Nice decor, good staff and full bar. Quite high prices however definitely worth it!

We loved the place, the waitstaff, the clever concept and use of the chalkboard. First timers should let the waitstaff guide them along as we were quite befuddled on how to order. All in all, we had a lovely dinner and wonderful night. However, having said that, if you're a steak house regular, you'll be disappointed by the steaks. They are good but not equal to the price charged. But still, it's a great place and I would probably give it another go next time I'm in Seattle.

Recently visited Bateau as the "fancy dinner" for our vacation in Seattle. Overall, we had a wonderful time, but I can't honestly say that this was a 5-star meal. Our server was incredibly helpful in deciding what cuts of meat would be the best options for our party - it seems all of the staff is very dedicated to the restaurant's mission. Our drinks were good, and our appetizers were insanely good. (Those French Onion bites...ooof.) The main course was where my expectations weren't really met. The steak was good, but nowhere near the amazing meat I was expecting. It was cooked well, but just didn't have that savory taste I was hoping for. Perhaps that was due to the cuts of the day - because they butcher their meat daily, you never really know what you're going to get. Also, I do feel as though it's quite pricey for what you get. Not sure if this is the best steak you'll find in Seattle, but if you like having a more in-depth experience with your meat this could be worth it.

On a business trip my colleague and I went to bateau and it was simply delicious. The vegetable produce was just fantastic quality; we had the squash, beets and fries and all were cooked, dressed and seasoned to perfection. The steak was delicious, however there was a lot of 'googling' to figure out what all those cuts on the nose to tail list are, and whether they'd suit our preferences for steak. I feel like a paper menu with a diagram to show where they come from, and tasting notes to accompany the chalk board would be VERY helpful! Particularly as all the 'known' cuts were close to $75-$100 a steak when I was there so I was trying to balance expense with flavour and texture! I was very happy with my choice in the end...although might have gone up a size - my understanding of ounces coming from Australia (using the metric system) meant I got an 8oz and prob would have liked slightly more even for the cost increase. The staff were friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was good...nice lighting and tableware. The side serves are fairly small so we had 8oz steaks with three sides between two of us and that was pretty right. We had a bottle of wine too so the total bill was around $150 which felt reasonable. The steak takes a while to prepare, and fair enough, and we were warned about that and invited to order a starter, I would probably do so next time.

It's a steakhouse for localvores with a French-tinged shabby chic meets butcher shop interior. I liked the atmosphere and the simplicity of the decor and felt comfortable immediately. Staff was welcoming and our server was incredibly helpful throughout the evening. To start a tangy salad with chicories, fennel, apple and mustard seeds. We ordered two cuts of beef, one a 28 day aged loin end with lemon brown butter and the other a 21 day aged bavette with bone marrow butter for a total weight of about 8 oz per person. We much preferred the loin end cut for both texture and taste, the bavette was a bit too chewy. As sides an order of fries with aioli dip, which was good but didn't rock our collective worlds (though we did eat everyone single potato on the plate). The other side of fried kale was much better - a more bitter version of a caesar salad. To finish a bread pudding and a chocolate mousse. But not really. These were the saddest part of the meal and I think they should rethink their dessert menu. It's rich dining in fat content and dollars, so know your capabilities. Don't over order in meat weight and be sure to balance out your meal with some of the salad and vegetable sides. For dessert I would suggest a simple digestif.

A concept restaurant, and an interesting one. It is all about the meat, which is pedigreed. Cuts, ages and origins are listed on the chalkboard. They are prepared in the French way, with butter. Butter makes everything better, but these steaks would be hard to improve upon. Truly good meat, that I trust was ethically raised and harvested. The fries were the best I've ever had. The only substandard dish we ordered was a vegetable side of root vegetable, pickled evergreen needles (or sprouts, or something) and pureed nettles. It would have been a memorable garnish, but as a stand-alone dish it was pretty awful...trying to hard, with the predictable bad result.

While the décor of the restaurant (and bathroom!) is outstanding, it felt a little odd to have pictures and drawings of cows looking at you. It really did feel a little uncomfortable. Staff was good and attentive although it took an hour to get a hamburger and salad, not kidding. My companion sat in the chair instead of the booth side seat and said it was very uncomfortable. The burger and salad honestly were ok, nothing spectacular. I'm glad we went and would recommend if you are trying out restaurants by this owner, but if not, I probably wouldn't go back.

We had a great time dining here at Bateau. The steaks here are unreal and the rest of the food was so good. Our server was amazing and helped us recommend so much good food. Definitely recommend checking this unreal spot out.

We were greeted and seated right away, but ignore or forgotten most of the evening! Simple things like requesting ice were forgotten and had to be asked for several times. When they filled the water glasses, the pitcher ran out of water and they never came back to finishing filling the rest of the glasses! Wine that was ordered wasn't received until half way thru the dinner and the back was 15 feet away...almost wanted to have ourselves go up and get it ourselves. The worst was asking for a spoon for my soup and had to just look at my soup for over 5 minutes wondering if the spoon would ever arrive, and in the meantime the soup was getting cold. The food was good, but not worth the service that comes with it.

Really very super delicious. Friendly staff. Craft Cocktails - though the Old fashion was not Ryne’s favorite. Absolutely love the concept and the steak choices. Staff are also well informed on what the different Cuts are and even able to talk me out of cooking my Babette Pittsburgh and I’m glad they did because it was delicious. The restaurant itself is cute and getting a reservation was not difficult though the tables were full. If you want fantastic steaks but not particularly int he mood for a typical Steak House then Bateau is for you!

Nice, nordic atmosphere, loved the interior design (might sound strange, but the unisex toilet is very fancy). You can see the raw meat fanging in the ripening room - very fancy. We were a group of 8 people and had a 5 course dinner. It's a restaurant for meat lovers, tough I have to say the sides and veggies are very carefully selected and prepared. Organic and regional seemed to be the motto of Bateau. Didn't manage to eat the dessert, was too much for me, but colleagues told me, it was delicious too. It's pricy for Europeans (might not be the same for Americans, as price range for high quality food is high all over main spots on East coast).

A carnivore tasting menu. Every course had meat. Every course was delicious. Wish the service was as good as the food, but otherwise does not get much better!

Onion crockettes... totally lacking onion flavor and extremely salty. Meats... Good enough as it should be. Summer squash ... if it is zucchini, say it is. Chicken peas and beets salad... lacking flavor and salty... I remembered why it has been over 10 years since I hv been here. Bottled wine prices are too high.

We decided to try the tasting menu at this up-scale beef-centric restaurant on Capitol Hill. We took the new light rail line from the Westlake station under Macy's to Broadway, then walked about 15-20 mins to the rather shabby but rapidly gentrifying neighborhood where the restaurant is located. On this sunny day the place was open to the street, providing the atmosphere of sidewalk dining without being actually on the sidewalk. Very nice. The music was a little loud, but not oppressive. We had notified Bateau ahead of time of our allergies. I'm a bona fide celiac patient, so gluten-free is not just a preference for me, but a necessity. This was confirmed in the follow-up call from the restaurant the day before. But when we asked about the tasting menu we were told the policy was no substitutions. However, our waitress offered to negotiate with the chef and came back to announce that he was creating a special tasting menu for us. The service, by the way, was excellent: friendly but not intrusive, very informative. We got the story of why the lovely French-style plates on the table were purely decorative, to be replaced by real dinnerware later. It seems the decorative plates tended to skid on the sliced stone tabletops when diners sawed into their steaks, and shoot onto the floor. Being stuck with the initial dinnerware order, they decided to just use them for decoration. We had a 5:30 reservation, and already various cuts of beef were being crossed off the blackboard. If you're particular or don't want to be stuck with the most expensive steaks it's important to arrive early. However, the tasting menu didn't involve steak, just a wide variety of beef dishes served in various imaginative ways. While our neighbors were eating large platters of expensive sliced beef, we were sampling mostly tiny portions of interesting dishes. The tasting menu is not for the Hungry Man crowd, but we had plenty to eat and took leftovers home. I suspect we each ate the equivalent of 1/4 pound of beef in total. My wife pronounced the free French bread served with the meal to be excellent, with wonderful soft butter sprinkled with a bit of coarse salt. After a tiny amuse-bouche we were served Carpaccio: thin circles of lightly smoked bottom roast on a turmeric confit with pickled rose petals and dill pollen. The combination didn't really work for me until I figured out that I should wrap each slice around the other ingredients. Then it was pleasantly combined. Second was a very small serving of consommé, a clear beef broth garnished with finely chopped and sautéed matsutake mushrooms, pine nuts, and fir tips. The broth was intensely beefy in flavor, the mushrooms nutty, the tiny fir tips not intrusively piney. Next came a platter of varied charcuterie, both cured and cooked. I didn't care for the pickled cabbage, and some of the beef servings seemed a little under-seasoned for me, but my favorite was the beef-liver paté—very fine, light, smooth and rich tasting. Probably half butter. I really liked the pickled shallots too. We both enjoyed the varied platter, but weren't blown away by it. The main dish was a daube of beef with morel mushrooms, caraway glacé, and grilled spring onion bulbs. This is essentially a finely shredded beef stew, but when you start with excellent beef, fine wine and other ingredients, it produces a sensational dish. My wife's came wrapped in the shape of a small brick enclosed in a very thin wheat-dough wrapper. Mine came naked. We took some home to enjoy later. Dessert was an elegant little Eskimo pie: intensely flavored lime semifreddo, coated with tasty milk chocolate, chopped cashews, and sea salt—on a stick! It came with a spoon, which was needed to scoop up the semi-frozen filling. A very satisfying and refreshing end to a umami-centered meal. The tasting menu, which changes frequently, is $75 per diner (the whole table must participate) and there are also beverage pairings available for an additional $35 each. My wife instead had a glass of a nice $9 rosé. Adding in the service charge, the total came to just about $212. Considering that many of the steaks on the menu cost hundreds of dollars that didn't seem out of line. If you thought a tasting menu in a steak-centric restaurant would involve tasting various types of steak, you'd be disappointed; but if you're an adventurous diner and like really good beef, this is a fine choice. Although we thoroughly enjoyed our meal, my favorite tasting menu is still the one at Hitchcock on Bainbridge Island, where the dishes are more varied and generous (you get substantially more food for your money). But this meal beat the tasting menu we tried at the Goldfinch Tavern hands down. Spot prawns were on the menu as a starter for $17. If you haven't tried these, you should grab them when they're in season. They taste more like lobster than the usual prawns. We caught the 50 at Pine & Broadway and were able to get on the 9:00 PM ferry and get home by 10:00 to watch Game of Thrones on our DVR.

Renowned for her seafood-centric establishments such as The Walrus and the Carpenter and The Whale Wins, Renee Erickson recently turned her attention to locally raised and in-house butchered beef, to stunning effect, when she opened Bateau on Capitol Hill. We greatly enjoyed an excellent five course tasting menu with carpaccio, bresaola, charcuterie and short rib, along with wine pairings and dessert, as we watched steak after beautiful steak pass by. We'll be back, to select from among at least a couple dozen cuts from nose to tail of the whole cow.

Loved the concept of this restaurant with their ethical focus on serving all parts of the cow. We ordered the special appetizer which was a tartine topped with shaved beef neck and just the right other little doodads to give it an amazing flavor. Hamburger and the steak were delicious. I could tell my burger was grounded on site and was so fresh! We split the rose water ice for dessert and I could have kept eating it forever. A rare place where both my husband and I rated all of our plates a "10". I highly recommend it!

The food was nice, clever, a few of the entrees brought from their Boat House restaurant. I thought the prices were crazy. Steaks well over $150 each, all other food a la cart. Cocktails expensive a small glasses to boot. The staff was nice and attentive. Bill came to $457 for four people. The food is not that impressive.

They use the whole animal concept so you'll find cuts of beef that you won't find elsewhere. In fact you may have to have an unfamiliar cut as they run out of cuts as the evening moves on. This place is very expensive but likely worth it. The ambiance is causal with big windows, bright lighting, tile floors and slate table tops. The service is great and friendly. So if you want really, really good grass feed beef and great sides this is the place.

Bateau is a steak place that only serves steak. No chicken, no fish, no pork..... The only way you get non-steak items is in the sides. But they do an amazing job with steak. They get a whole cow, butcher it on site, and then sell the various cuts, aged to various lengths of time. The staff really knows the menu well and can guide you to get a nice selection of cuts and ages. Our meat was all perfectly cooked. We ended up comparing notes with the people next to us and the people on the other side of them. It was a great experience and we will be back for sure the next time we're in Seattle.

We ate here for my birthday. The food and wine menu are impressive with beef as the focus. We chose the seven course tasting menu to enjoy beef prepared in a variety of ways, including for dessert. Each course was beautifully presented, had layers of textures and flavors with fresh ingredients, and was delicious. It was just the right amount of food to feel satisfied. The decor is inviting, particularly from the vantage point of our table by the large open window. Service was friendly, efficient and helpful. I understand why this restaurant is regarded so highly by food critics. Do yourselves a favor and check out Bateau!

So this is a fairly small restaurant and a very small bar (5 -6 stools). We arrived earlier than our reservation and met Ric the bt. He was friendly and not pretentious. Had whiskey sours and a manhattan, excellant. Were seated for dinner at the window. A little close to neighbors but it was not a problem. My husband was actually fqcing toward tje beef window and blackboard and i was looking out. The waitress suggested the beef carpaccio which was drizzeled with olive oil and dressed with fresh tumeric and shallot, we loved it. Had a nice red bourdeux and I had a Tucson cut because I was curious about what that was, i did ask for rare medium but it came out more medium. Topped witha complimentry lemon brown butter. Of course i devoured this. My husband had the top sirloin with a marrow butter cooked perfectly. We had the best fries a d order of mushrooms with these to share. The egg yolk stirred into the mixed mushrooms, mostly chanterels, was a nice touch. We ended with a glass of port. The service was enjoyable and well paced, maybe a little on the slower side which served our purposes well. I was not expecting to like this place as much as I did. I would go back. My husband said it was the best restaurant of the trip and we went to quite a few.

This restaurant specializes in beef - carefully selected from farms and aged. The chef has a various cuts of various sizes. Who knew selecting a steak could seem so complicated. Rest assured, your server will help you out. We were celebrating our 18th anniversary (4th legally) and were overwhelmed with the selection and how it worked. Dina helped us out. You do not tell the chef how you want it cooked, it comes out prepared perfectly with your selection of butter. Delicious amuse bouche, chickpea salad, and frites accompanied our 9oz steak that we shared. We couldn't even finish it all.

I found the steak and the sides to be average. I like a rare steak but my medium rare was blue and I expect a steak place to be able to cook a steak perfectly. The 42 day aged ranch which was recommended was not as good as the less expensive flat iron. Both could have benefitted with more seasoning as could the salad we had. The frites, mashed potatoes and turnip sides were just okay. The star of the meal was the pate. Service was very attentive. If you want a choice of steak go early as they have a limited number of each steak.

This is not the place for the gustatorily faint of heart. It is a great destination for the food adventurer who loves beef and all the richness it can convey. You will not leave hungry! The menu revolves around beef in all its many manifestations. Start with the Reuben mille feuille ( first photo) and the awesome French onion croquettes (third photo). Relish the gorgeous hamburger that is not on the menu but is a house specialty. Dive into the unbelievable selection if locally sourced beef and let the chef choose which sauce goes best with each cut (middle photo). As the night goes on, watch the staff cross various cuts off the menu -- they have a finite number of each on the day. Finally, revel in the sides. They probably have dessert, but none of us made it that far! The service was truly outstanding. The wait staff know their beef, their wine, and their everything else. Trust them! You may wonder why this isn't a five. That is only because fresh veggies and salads were missing, reportedly because the right things were not locally source-able today.

While the concept is clever, the execution is flawed. There are so many cuts of steak that it’s really hard to figure out what to order. The steaks were fine but there are much better options in the city. What was surprising was the lack of attention to detail and the number of mistakes. The server asked if we wanted more sparkling water, we said no, then he brought a bottle anyway. My glass of wine was delivered and then 2 minutes later another server brought another glass that hadn’t been ordered. The steaks were incorrectly identified when they came out. And when we got up to leave we stood at the front for 5-10 minutes waiting for someone to help us find where the coats were stored that they checked when we arrived. For the amount of money we paid for this dinner, we definitely didn’t get the experience we expected. Sadly, we won’t be returning and I wouldn’t recommend to friends

The steak course of the tasting menu at this steak house was so chewy and full of gristle neither one of us finished it. The gaslighting was world class "these cuts aren't for everyone". No kidding -chewy and gristle-definitely not for everyone. $500 and we couldnt finish the chewy steak. This was our 5th valentine together. We are in our 50s and eat out enough to know the steak course was terrible at any price.

Great restaurant with fun atmosphere. Very French with lovely imported china. Food was great. A bit disappointed with beef. It was good but not amazing. Cauliflower side was excellent. Octopus was ok. Wine list was extensive with lots of French wines. Bread pudding dessert was fabulous.

Bateau was recommended by our hotel concierge as a very nice restaurant with the best steaks in town. The cows are grass fed and sourced from local farms - I liked that - I was looking forward to a really good, tasty steak. However, the ribeye my sister and I shared had tough, rubbery sinews running all throughout both our pieces. For a $110 ribeye, that was disappointing. The steak was cooked right and the portion that was edible was tender and had some flavor - mostly because of the wonderful lemon and brown butter sauce. The bright spots to our meal were two of the sides. The roasted mushrooms (egg yolk, toasted garlic and marjoram) and in particular, the English peas with black lentils, crème fraîche, mint and pine nuts was a hit, as was the lemon and brown butter sauce for the steak. But Bateau blew it with the mashed potatoes - while they had a decent flavor, I just couldn't get past their consistency of pureed baby food. In addition, the restaurant is small and the tables are very close together. I am glad we came early so we didn't have to share our conversation with the tables on both sides of us.

Arrived for a special occasion and had one of the most disappointing evenings in our recent memory. The staff was aloof and unattentive. The bar keep Andrew represented himself as a sommelier. We brought a very nice 600 dollar bottle of wine we had been saving for this occasion for years and he walked away with it. He never looked at the bottle. He had no idea how to decant. I brought to his attention my anxiety at the situation - walked away with my wine and took it to the kitchen and it was shrugged off as if no big deal. Our expectations were high as we read all the write ups and ended up with a big fat 500 dollar bill and a very disappointing experience. We eat out a fine restaurants often and will NEVER go back to Bateau. Completely disappointing experience. I will reach out to Renee personally as i completely feel ripped off. You can get a great steak at numerous venues in SEA and i would highly recommend putting Bateau at the bottom of that list. Food was good but service and aloof attitude of the inept staff far outweighed any culinary satisfaction.

I had a great dinner at Bateau. It is entirely meat centric (conceived as such by the proprietor) and I was happy to buy in. The space has a vibe that I would describe as open and crisp. There are high ceilings with windows that push back to open the dining room on one side to the street. The tables are natural stone and there is a traditional English bone china plate awaiting your arrival that provides a nice splash of color. Our server was great. Another reviewer called their server a meat sommelier and I would agree with this description. The steaks are $$$. I think the smallest least expensive cut on the board was $31 for a 6 ounce. On top of that many of the less expensive smaller cuts sell quickly so don't book too late if your a light eater or trying to bring your bill in for under $80 a person. Obviously one can share a bigger cut, but I think part of the fun is being led to your favorite cut and then sharing the diff. cuts with your party. I loved my 7 ounce Denver cut with bone marrow butter. I also loved the French Onion Croquette and steak tartar apps we shared. They have great wines by the glass as well as a full bar. The older person in my party (82yrs) didn't like the modern setting for a good steak house. He prefers white table cloths and a more cozy chop house feel, but even he had to admit the food was delicious. Finally it is in a great location with many fun and elegant bars around for a post meal nightcap. Oh and if you are a details person be sure to look closely at the tres chic chalk sticks they use to cross off the cuts as they are sold- so cool.

..... and I wasn't disappointed. Hard to describe, they have the meat equivalent of a sommelier - who runs you through the cuts of meat available which are universally exceptional. Almost better than the meat (and I mean almost) is the wine list - some amazing choices both international and US based....... I hope to be back one day.

I really liked this steakhouse concept as it buys a whole grass fed cow from a local farm and serves all types of cuts not to waste anything. While it does serves traditional cuts (i.e. Ribeye), it introduces diners to less known cuts. I started with the bateau salad. The chickpeas, vegetables and salami were delicious with the vinaigrette. I then had a 7oz cut of ball tip. Per the picture, the 7oz is very generous. I paired it with the anchovy butter. Excellent fatty cut of meat.

Stopped by for drinks and a bite before dinner nearby as we couldn't get a table for dinner. Mario was tending bar and he was superbly delightful! He shared drinks he enjoys making, asked us what we liked, educated us about a few items and mixed each of us a unique and perfect drink. We split a burger for our appetizer and Bateau offered us an amuse-bouche as well! Each bite was amazing. The burger was ground fresh that day and was served with a caramelized onion jam. Will return for dinner soon.

Usually when in the mood for steak, I head over to either the Metropolitan Grill or El Gaucho.....both are great restaurants that serve great steaks! But, I have found a new restaurant that is simply a notch above them both. Slightly a bit more pretentious and on the expensive side, they serve amazing steaks from sustainable cuts from local markets. They do steaks and menu items a bit better than the Met and El Gaucho. I still love both the Met and El, they are both great restaurants that I will still visit, but if you are willing to pay a bit more and want something a bit special, than you must go to Bateau! Bateau....more classy and contemporary than the MET....a great date place !

According to the ratings, my expectations were high. I had reserved the table via open table. The ambience did not convince me. Very high room with far too much white. The card with congratulations to our wedding anniversary on our table was a nice gesture. The huge chalkboards on the wall, on which the available steaks are written, are a cool feature and practical. The crossing-out after an order is placed is literally celebrated. Service was very good. However, the super friendly smile became noticeably less when we ordered none of the super expensive steaks. But finally we were here because of the food. Starter: beef liver pâté was excellent. The filet mignons themselves were perfectly prepared. One of the side dishes was cold chips (which, I don't remember anymore), let's hope that was the intention. We weren't taken with them. The bowl with the chips was placed on the table some time before the steak, which we found a bit strange. They tasted very good, but they would have been better warm or hot. Just our opinion. Bottomline after paying over $ 250.00 for a dinner for two: Quality of starter and steak was outstanding. Side portions too small and taste not as convincing as the beef. Lack of atmosphere. Overall very good. I couldn't get rid of the feeling that you have to spend more money here for "honest" friendliness. The visit was meant to be for a special occasion, and because I found the concept interesting. Dear team: that we ordered the („cheap“) Filet Mignons has only one reason: it is our favourite steak and the tenderest meat, and we are gourmets, not gourmands. What didn't match the restaurant's otherwise excellent reputation: The young man at the reception wore a shirt with a totally crumpled button placket (i.e. unironed). His belt was worn-out and he had only half a button on his back pocket. Very positive: Restaurant ordered a taxi. We waited in front of the restaurant for over 30 minutes. Then a very friendly lady came out and explained to us that in times of Uber the taxis were no longer so reliable. She would check back if it didn't come soon. We found that very courteous.

Excellent restaurant with the best steaks in Seattle and that is not said lightly. Had a New York strip - dry aged over 28 days. Absolutely fantastic. Signature petite cocktails were also top drawer very nice and pleasantly strong. Ambiance was chic with attention to detail impeccable - whoever looks after this department is very knowledgable and very professional. My guest had an enjoyable evening and was of the view that the restaurant was well worth the visit. My only comment would be the servers Service was quick but there was not a smile between the staff. Strange. Guys cheer up - not the end of the world just yet . I would return and look forward to the visit.

The place has a nice ambience, it has a glass showcasing the meats. I booked this place because of the reviews from different blog sites but was very disappointed with the food and service. Steak was good because you can't go wrong with a good piece of meat, just a little bland though and a tad overcooked. The bone marrow butter was disappointing- it was so scarce I couldn't even taste it. The steak tartare was also bland and the sweetbreads were overcooked and too salty. When I asked our server if it was meant to be too salty, he said yes, though I know it's not- why would you intentionally serve a very salty pan-fried sweetbreads?? It just doesn't make sense. Our guy server was a little arrogant and sarcastic. The girl who took our wine order brought us the wrong bottle 2x. When we asked for salt and pepper, we had to ask 2 different servers before we got it. Our bill was $300 for 2 starters, 1 19oz of steak and 1 bottle of wine. Overpriced in my opinion specially for the size of the portion. Actually, I wouldn't mind paying that amount if the food was great but sadly it was overrated.

I had dinner here last week while in town visiting and I was very excited to eat here. I found the overall experience very hit and miss for me. We were seated about 20 mins after our reservation time so that was a bummer to start the evening. The service was fine, our server was training a new person who I ordered a second drink from and she forgot the drink and finally after a while I had to ask her for it again. I really enjoyed about about half the dishes we ordered here to try. I found most things lacked salt. We did a bunch of shared plates and a coupe of sides and most of them were nice, but the steak we ordered was actually not very good. We ordered a ribeye that had a lot of sinew throughout it so it was tough and chewy. Honestly we only ate less than half of it and my friend said something to the waitress about it not being that great but she didn't quite catch it. I think if steak is your thing and a person eats less than half of it and they are sharing it and they don't want to take it with them you should be thinking something wasn't right. So considering steak was the main attraction it was actually the most disappointing thing we barely ate there. Our bill was $276 and that was with only 2 glasses of wine to be sure you understand this wasn't inflated by liquor. I just thought it would be so much better than it was. I also don't mind that a lot of restaurants have added in the 20% gratuity now but when your service isn't that great it sucks not to get to dictate the tip.

Go early to this new restaurant in Seattle's Capitol Hill area. The printed menu has the sides and wines by the glass, but the real attraction is the chalkboard, on which they write the pieces of meat available that day. As each order is placed, the items are marked out on the chalkboard. When they're out, they're out (hence the early arrival recommendation). In addition to steak, they have infrequently seen starters such as sweetbreads and steak tartare. The beef comes from two ranches, both are grass fed, but one finishes with grass and the other finishes with grain. Take your pick (if you're early enough). The service is great and friendly. The wine list is not very long, but has a number of good wines. The wines-by-the-glass list is short, and has one or two entries for each major varietal. Prices are a bit high here, but the quality makes up for it.

Loved our evening, from beginning to the exceptional end. Waiter was as good as a waiter comes. Charming and informative, he lent to the experience all night. Our steak was stupid good, get the Chuck Eye cut. We found out later it is the favorite cut of the owner of the restaurant, who raises the beef on her farm! If you like ribeye, try this cut. But go early, it disappears off the chalk board quickly each night. The sides were amazing, my wife is still talking about the brussel sprouts and I LOVED the mashed potatoes. Lastly, we finished the night off with the bread pudding and almost ordered a second. It was amazing!! High priced?? You bet, but what wonderful steak experience isn't.

We love culinary discoveries and do not hesitate to pay the price for something truly unique, but at Bateau the food was not at the level of the price tag. Do not get mistaken, it was good, even very tasty, but who charges nearly $150 for steak for two without even giving you a side! Honestly! Plus the service is snobby for no reason. Sorry, I rarely write negative reviews but Seattle has better to offer...

So this is what passes for a good steakhouse in Seattle these days. Sorry to hear that! In NYC, this would be a laughing stock. The setting reminds you of a diner. Nothing wrong with diners, of course, but they don't charge $70 for an entree. The name, by the way, means "boat" in French. This is a meat place, not a fish place! But most important, they don't bring you a steak! They bring you a bunch of meat slices, cut the way they like it, cooling off fast because every slice is thin, and there aren't many of them anyway. There is a lot of pomp and nothing to back it up with, except for ridiculously high prices. I hope there are better steakhouses in Seattle. But if that's not the case, come to New York, and go to any solid place (you don't need to go to Peter Luger in Brooklyn, unless you're staying there, of course), you'll see what a sad and pretentious place Bateau really is. I'm sorry to write such a negative review, but this place is really a waste of your money.

This place was personally recommended to me and I was rather excited to visit (being a steak enthusiast!). But it was a most disappointing experience that left me a good deal poorer. When you walk in to the place you are immediately accosted by a powerful (and frankly unpleasant) smell from all the raw meat they have hanging up and ageing. I have no problem with restaurants ageing meat on the premises (many fine steak houses do this), but they really need to sort out the ventilation - the place reeks of the slaughterhouse. The 'menu' is only written on the wall (in chalk on large blackboards) and as each steak is sold, it is crossed off the list. All very well to illustrate the individuality of what you are to be served, but hardly helpful to the customer (as the writing is small and often indistinct). This strikes me more as a gimmick than anything else. The food, when it finally arrived, was fine. But the portions were small and the flavour and quality of the meat was nothing particularly special (compared to the many fine steak houses the US has to offer) and certainly did not warrant the truly eye-watering price tag! All in all, this is not a place I can recommend.

We went for our anniversary and the concept of picking your own steak was perfect for me. I was a butcher years ago so being able to order unique cuts of prime beef was exciting. And they didn’t fail with their cook and delivery with marrow butter. It’s a meat restaurant and they deliver. But even the masked potatoes were good too.

Nothing in this place from get to go was worth the uber drive there. I cook better meat at home and don't have to wait an hour and a half to get it.

Personally, I find it difficult to reconcile my recent dining experience with all the hype surrounding Bateau. I was anticipating an exceptional meal - but, as it turned out, I was in for a major disappointment. The components of my dinner consisted of a soggy, tired looking (and tasting) garbanzo bean salad - called the Bateau Salad, a bowl of bland, overly pureed potatoes (our server suggested we use these mashed potatoes as a dip for the fries ordered at our table!), a tough and disappointing filet (what else needs to be said about a restaurant that is "boeuf" centered?), an olive oil soaked, unappealing dessert (that no one ate) and finally a pot of thin, flavorless coffee. All this for a very hefty price! The presentation and plating were as uninspired as the food. I left Bateau shaking my head in disbelief. Based upon my experience, I can only conclude that the restaurant's rather unique concept and the lingering halo effect of the Renee Ericsson brand are responsible for Bateau's survival rather than the actual quality of the food served.

We had heard so much about this restaurant that we were eager and excited to try it out. I was so disappointed on so many levels. The service was slow, and the servers did not check back to see if we were happy with the preparation, and we were not. My filet was brought to the table tepid and when I complained they informed me that they had brought it straight from the chef. This was not the case. My steak was taken away and heated and was just as it should have been the first time. We will not be back.

When I first walked in my initial thought was that it was kind of cute not elegant or terribly impressive...think cafe or bistro. I liked the menu chalkboards although style of the restaurant certainly didn't lend itself to having heavy brass menu boards and fine china plates. Servers were very nice, clearly well-trained in cuts of meat and offerings but lacked much personality. They all used the same lines (get used to toothiness- it means the cut is chewy...)and they were heavy on suggestive selling, repeatedly asking you to order more ("how about starters?, you better because your steak takes 1-1.5 hours to prepare". Really?, is that supposed to be a selling point?). So the food is good, preparations good but lacking interest and creativity. It is a beef restaurant so if you don't want that, don't go there. They prepare the beef perfectly but they are ridiculously overpriced. Everything was overpriced; beef, salads, sides and bottles of wine. That being said, I know the cost of fine dining from both extensive dining out and working in the industry. This restaurant felt like it was saying "let's see if people will actually pay these inflated prices" unfortunately we did, but won't again. As a last note, if you really want to go to bateau, this is my thought: IF I were to return, I would order the burger and fries, a glass of wine and call it good...but even that, I would be lucky to get out under $75

Unreal steak cut list - absolutely delicious with awesome starters and sides. This place is a great spot for a date night or to celebrate - friendly and knowledgeable staff, fun to watch your cut get crossed off the list and very enjoyable spot. You pay for what you get and there quality meats!! Instagram We’re not MOUSSE-ing around, these steaks are AMAZING! 🫎🍅🥩🥗🥔 📸 Beef Liver Mousse 📸 Billy’s Tomatoes 📸 Steak Tartar 📸 Ribeye 📸 Bateau Salad 📸 Buttery Mashed Potatoes @BateauSeattle Specialty grass-fed, dry aged steaks featuring foraged and fermented ingredients 🍽️🥩🍾 📍Seattle, WA 🐟

What an amazing experience. From the moment you walked in the front door, you know you are part of something exceptional. Yes, they are not cheap. Yes, the choices could be a bit overwhelming, but you sure get what you pay for. The steaks are cooked to perfection. The winelist is extensive and great. Desserts perfectly rounds off the meal. What a great evening, even got a hand written note to say congrats on my birthday on the table. Highly recommended!