L'Oursin Reviews

Tom Shortliffe, Good morning With much anticipation (my wife, Barbara McMahon, purchased the $65.00 (each) Tasting Table tickets) we were your first time guests for the La Brea Bakery luncheon yesterday (Sunday). Sadly we were largely disappointed with the cuisine, the salad was under-dressed with a very small portion of the smoked lingcod (the best ingredient). The poached salmon on the entree with the mayonnaise was well executed but the bacon and duck fat roasted potatoes were not edible the balance of the plate made little sense (a thick slice of bread and beneath pickled vegetables). The desert thyme ice cream was truly wonderful (more please) but the poached apples and pears were poorly executed and the bread not edible. All and all, my wife and our tables companions left hungry, dissatisfied with the cuisine and expecting much more from L’Oursin. Paradoxically the La Brea Bakery breads were not featured (none on table) and most important we had hoped for a taste of your namesake sea urchin. As you likely appreciate service was irregular with a long wait from the salad course to the entrée. We did enjoy the wine pairings but thought the Domaine Magellan Cinsault/Syrah 2015 would have profited from age (too young for pouring). All restaurants have off services (especially this number of simultaneous services), possibly this was one for L’Oursin. We would respectfully ask for your investigation, analysis and response.

It was the day after Christmas and we enjoyed this lovely quiet evening with dear friends who frequent the place. SInce Annette was with us she chose the wine after cocktails all around ! They have a great bartender! Since it was after Christmas we only needed small plates. We had the Charcuterie, Brandade, Mussels and bread and butter plus some yummy dessert they brought for us! It was teh ambiance the company and the service - excellent!

Having read the Seattle Times review, we expected excellence. Seating was slow; they said they were short-handed. 2 of us had salads; the grilled cabbage w/cod was bitter and sour, and had no taste. The roasted carrots also had no taste. We complained, got the cabbage taken off the bill. The main course took a long time; dishes were warm at best, cold mainly. We complained; they did not offer to make new ones, but took 2 dishes (poached ling cod and grilled rockfish) to reheat. They also took these 2 dishes off the bill. The ling cod was returned uneaten. We asked for a 2nd bottle of wine (Fleurs 2012); it arrived so slow that there was no food to eat with it, so we gave it up. Dessert; the rice pudding had no taste. The others were OK. My wife came home hungry. Better luck next time (?)

It was ok. I don’t mind a small menu, but this had a very minimal amount of choices of both appetizers and mains. Overpriced wine list. Overpriced food. So-so food. I doubt I will be back.

We went for my birthday with my family! Reminded me of a restaurant in the French countryside - unassuming atmosphere - just well-prepared food and Exceptional service. And the homemade breads were fabulous! Everything we ordered was delicious!

L’Oursin is a lovely neighborhood spot. Seattle is lucky to have this newcomer to the market. You should go often - it deserves to be supported and cherished as the gem it is.

Went to L'oursin with a girl friend after many positive reviews. We shared several dishes starting with the with large scallops with thin cucumber slices and lime, lovely. A plate of fresh lettuce with a simple dressing and little croutons. Our crisp fish was divine and plated with simple fresh veggies. We brought a great bottle of wine and were happy to pay the $30.00 corkage. We would go back in a minute and if it warms up maybe sit on the patio.

The wine selection is excellent, the food was unabashedly divine and yes, there's a buzz in the background, but it's a place which stimulates one's mind and appetite. Eaters are chatty when there's good food, good company, good wine and a true passion for culinary art.

Three couples early on a Saturday night. All were satisfied, recommended by friends who raved. Agree with L'Oursin's signboard “French-ish”, French in the descriptions. Limited menu, suggest you check beforehand to see if there’s enough to choose from. We thought it pricy-ish. $5 bought a small stack of sliced bread with butter,; petits plats not enough to make a meal from $11 to $18, plats principaux from $24 to $27, wine $35 to $53 and up. The food was tasty, the portions not overly generous, our Alsace wine OK, the descriptions way fey. Attractive ambience, bare tables, hard surfaces, quiet enough to talk with the music down but as it filled couldn’t hear the person next. Service American friendly, not French-ish. One couple will return, another may, we would not.

I’d been meaning to try this place for a while and it didn’t disappoint in any way whatsoever. We’d scored a last minute Friday night reservation and headed over - the room is bright and airy with the big front windows open, it was pleasantly busy for what most folks would consider an early dinner (6pm 😂). Stellar wine list with tons of natural and biodynamic selections (wine was so good, I signed up for the wine club at the end of the meal and brought home a box of Loire Valley goodness) as well as some of the tastiest food I’ve had in Seattle. Started with a beautiful salad, moved on to the mussels and finished with a crab pasta that was out of this world 🥰.

Family of 5 had the tasting menu paired with wine. All of the dishes were excellent. Special favorite was the gnocchi dish with duck mushrooms. Would give a five, but the pacing was too slow and explanation of dishes and wine could be improved.

I was not pleased with our visit to L’Oursin. The service was very poor and slow. The appetizers were unmemorable, especially the carrots and pickles. Skip it. My steak was simply tough. Cook medium rare, it was still really tough and chewy. There is nothing special to the atmosphere. There are enough good restaurants in Seattle for me to avoid this one.

At Swedish at Cherry Hill and knew I needed some food. This is the first open restaurant I came across. Looking to get a quick bite to eat, sat down to discover it wa “le 14 juillet” aka Bastille Day. They had been cocktails and an excellent rose “from the tank” for five dollars a glass or $15 a half liter carafe. The crayfish (yes! I said crayfish) that I ordered came out first $6. It was steamed and came with salty sea asparagus that was perfectly the right complement! Then came the foie gras terrine with toasted brioche and fresh peach jam $10. (I would’ve loved an additional slice of brioche to come with that plate.) Another glass of rose was clearly in order. Finally the briochettes came grill duck and chicken meatballs on a skewer $5. This place is a total find! While waiting I saw the barkeep prepare “spiceworld” and if I hadn’t already sat down to start wine that’s what I would’ve wanted to try. And I LOVE the cloth napkins.

My friends and I had the best dinner last night at L'Oursin. We were a group of 8 and had a family style meal that was out of this world. Some faves included the tartare de boeuf, thon de ligne, salade fermière, the chicken and the steak-frites. And the bread. And the chocolate mousse! Not only was the food solid, but the staff was super friendly, the place had a relaxed vibe, and it was great value for the money. After dinner we went to the bar next door (same owners as L'Oursin) and had killer cocktails and cookies (don't judge). Can't wait to go back!

What a great pleasure it was to dine here. Friendly, informed service, menu with seasonal choices and a wine/drinks list with write-ups that are literary gems. Read them all and then try to choose which wine to have. Delicious food, well-presented, all made to order in the open kitchen. This place deserves a following and we'll go there any time we are in Seattle. An urban treasure

Great atmosphere! Super casual and comfortable with french details all around. Amazing food!!! Portions are a good size. Great drink options.

With great anticipation for the Sunday prix Fixe. The Sunday menu was replaced by a limited menu which for a seafood restaurant, only had a seared Tuna starter and a soupe de Poisson? A former owner/chef of 2 French restaurants over 25 years, I expected better. The terrine du Chasseur $12: a small slice of strange looking bland pate with mustard, cornichons, and 2 half slice of stale bread. Extra bread $5, toasted and old. Rutabaga soupe $12: small portion, bland. Soupe de Poisson $25: tasted good but so scant. With 2 glasses of wine, tax and 20% service charge we spent about $100 and left disappointed.

We were visiting Seattle from London and had heard great things about L'Oursin. Due to lack of organisation and not knowing how we'd feel with jet lag, we hadn't reserved a table in advance. When we came to book that morning, the only tables left were too late for our liking. They kindly said they could reserve two seats at the bar for us - which they did beautifully, laying two places for us in advance. The food was wonderful - inventive and different with amazing flavours. The service was attentive and charming. This is a place run by food lovers, whose passion shows. I urge anyone visiting Seattle to stop by!

We enjoyed seafood and chicken during our visit. The chicken has a delicious sauce and the meat was tender and delicious. I enjoyed the seafood soup en croute that included cod, scallops, and mussels (no shells). L'Oursin is sea urchin in French, but I think that is more of a mascot than a menu item. We didn't have reservations, so we were able to score 3 chairs at the bar. The restaurant was full, but the service was still personable.

Open air- a bit cold the night we went. We were with another couple- none of us young- and the noise made it hard to hear- its no fun to have to almost scream for a couple of hours. And the dinner did go on a long time because the service was glacial. In fact it was so over the top slow that without asking, they took our salad off the bill and gave us two free deserts. Thats SLOW. On the positive side- we had a great Chateau du Pape wine for not a fortune- and the bouef dish ( steak) was melt in your mouth. The chicken dish was huge and while not as delicious as the waiter described it, it really was well done- not over-cooked and huge portion. The oysters were fresh and yummy ( they have a different type nightly). and the burnt cream and pot au creme were both very good. I particularly liked the Kale salad. So bottom line- we liked the place but the noise and rather disorganized service would give us pause about going again..Maybe all really early!

A short but interesting menu, featuring small plates and mains. Nice wine selection, a specialty for cocktail lovers.

In the NW we have an abundance of seafood- but I have never had such a diverse seafood tasting menu- singing scallops, octopus, Artic char and ... all prepared with style and not making the fish The wine pairing were a mix of NW and European Very reasonable priced.

Invited to dinner here by friends and so glad that we went! The room is charming, especially for being in a modern building. We were seated promptly and given time to study the wine and cocktail list before ordering. There are some interesting cocktails using French liquors and aperitifs that are worth trying. Food menu contains many French favorites, including cassoulet and steak frites. Wine list focuses on French "natural" wines, which means made without commercial yeast. We had an excellent cabernet franc which nicely complemented our meal. Overall, a great experience and we will be bsck!

L-Oursin needs to decide if they are a shorts and tee shirt wanna be cafe or a real French Bistro. A Sunday night, 1/3 full restaurant, and the service was dismal. In between orders, it was at least one half an hour for our plates to arrive - including the bread service. Another half hour for the pate, same for the French Onion soup. The wine pours were small, and had to keep ordering more wine due to the small pours and slow service. Our waiter even comped us on a dessert because "the kitchen was behind". Really? Would hate to see the kitchen on a busy night.... And the bar next door - very disappointing. Me thinks not....

Actually I liked this restaurant. The ambiance was good, the waitstaff was nice and the food was tasty. My issue is with the size of my wife's bouillabaisse. It was perhaps the smallest portion for an entree we have ever experienced in 68 years.

We had a lovely dinner at the bar in L'Oursin last night. The menu was unique, but still classique. Our dishes reflected this eclectic style, as we dined on Veau Tonné, Terrine de Foie Gras, Black Cod, Steak frites and a large delectable Crème Brûlée for dessert. Everything was very good, if not delicious. There was no misses, and we had a wonderful meal. L'Oursin is designed beautifully, very Francais, s'il vous plaît. I also tested the mixology skills of our bartenders/servers Zachary and Tommy, and they both are at the very top of their field, meeting my needs perfectly. The only shock was the price, as Seattle's expense continues to wow me. Our meal, with three cocktails, two glasses of white wine, and the 20% tip included in the bill came to $242.11. That's a lot of moolah, anywhere. I understand the cost of living in Seattle is ludicrous, and we pay for living in such a beautiful city. Yet, Seattle isn't New York, but the costs are certainly coming close. Something has to give, unless this city wants to cater solely to the upper class, ignoring cultural diversity. With prices like this, someone my age who isn't a billionaire, can't go out much. That's a shame

Reservation at 7.45pm, promptly seated. We had salads, foie gras, salmon with morels and chicken with vin jaune. We also shared a chamomile flavored ice cream. Each dish was excellent with a very clear delineation of tastes. Service was very friendly and the general mood in the staff was competent but relaxed, very different from what we find in many restaurants in town. This is a place that concentrates on doing a good job, does not put on any airs and provide excellent value for the money.

Small, quaint, neighborhood find that makes you feel like you stepped into a small bistro in paris, or a lovely hideaway in soho. We recently went with party of 4 on a weekday evening so it was not crowded at all. We opted to order variety of dishes to share so we could try everything. We ended up ordering almost one of everything on the menu from the "pickles" to sweetbreads to wings to scallops to lamb & halibut. Note very pricey for one teeny ramekin of assorted pickles, I would definately pass on. The raddiccio salad was meh as well. But other dishes were unique and as we were a party of 4 we were able to taste and share with some liking one dish more than other. The cocktails are the major attraction here. They are worth the $. We all had various different cocktails on the menu and they were all pretty good. The wine list is okay (for ex. there were only 4 red wine options - we ended up ordering and trying 2 of the 3 reds on menu. One was better than the other, but for wine at a restaurant they were very reasonably priced). We ended the dinner sharing a creme brulee and a cheese course (which was magnificent). All in all, worth a visit, and reason did not give 5/5 is that for price, the food was good, not great. The servers were all fantastic, attentive, informative and friendly.

Close to downtown on Jefferson St in a very nice quite neighborhood. Modern restaurant with a great French menu and good service. Very recommendable