Monsoon Reviews

On a recent trip to Seattle we were lucky enough to meet a local friend for lunch at Monsoon. The location was a bit off the beaten track, but the food and service definitely made it worth our time. The shrimp dumplings were delicious as was the combination pho. Will make it a stop on our next trip to Seattle for sure!

Monsoon is one of my favorite places to eat in the city. Last night I had the scallops which were cooked to perfection. We started with the imperial rolls which are always a good choice for an appetizer. The cream caramel has to be one of the best I've ever tasted.

It was a toss up between two other restaurants in this neighborhood - all within walking distance. We chose Monsoon. I am soooo glad we did. I don't eat sugar or flour or any white processed foods and they totally accommodated me with a great attitude and the food was superb. I had fish and bok choy and brown rice, eggplant, it was all so tasty, fresh. beautiful to look at and incredibly satisfying. The decor of the restaurant is also suitable to my aesthetic - modern, with great flowers and pops of interesting patterns here and there. I loved this place and can't wait to get back to Seattle to have another meal there.

We had been wanting to try Monsoon for quite awhile and had heard good things about it. We made a reservation and arrived on time. I don't get why a place with 5 or 6 open tables acts snooty about seating you. It seemed like they were making a big deal about our reservation even though they were never close to capacity during our entire meal. The food was delicious and creatively prepared. Other diners were obviously enjoying their food as well. I had a glass of wine that was well selected and generous on the pour. The service was a bit slow and...well...just snooty. Reasonable questions were answered with a bit of condescension and attitude. We'd go back for the food though...it was extraordinary.

Nice variety of pan-Asian food, and they do takeout well. The eggplant is particularly tasty as are the spring rolls

With a long Sunday to kill after disembarking from a cruise we found our way to the Monsoon which had come highly recommended by knowledgeable friends. It proved to be a real treat....excellent Sunday Dim Sum , very interesting SE Asian menu and delightful staff and setting. Located in the University area of Seattle it certainly qualifies as a "local" favorite. Very relaxed atmosphere and a staff that welcomes diners to sit and relax as long as you please. I couldn't have found a better spot to wait out a late flight home. Vastly superior to the hustle of Pikes Market and certainly the airport. Any cabbie can find it if you give him the address. Well worth it.

The food and service were great. Atmosphere is a little cold, as in stark and temperature. We had to keep our coats on.

Our niece and hubby who live in Seatlle recommended Monsoon. We'll be honest, it was our first Vietnamese dining experience and this was a pleasant experience for sure! We shared the Crispy Imperial Rolls, Catfish/Rockfish Clay pot, asparagus and to close, the banana cake. All Very Yum!

We were visiting friends in the capital hill area and this restaurant is a few blocks away from their house. We went late and Monsoon has an awesome happy hour. The food is very fresh and fabulous. We ordered many different dishes and shared them all and everything we had was really good. If I lived here, this would be a restaurant that I would frequent often. Also, the service was excellent. I would highly recommend!

First visit here was about 2 years ago while on vacation with my girlfriend. Food was SPOT ON! The stuffed squid is our favorite dish! So, fast forward to now, 3 visits later we're back this time with family... and guess what??? FOOD IS STILL SPOT ON! Love the atmosphere, service and the location is in a nice cozy neighborhood. Definitely a great Date Night, Casual good dinner night, or a place to take friends!

Monsoon is one of my favorite places to go for dinner on Capitol Hill. Several years ago they enlarged the space which really changed the dining experience in a good way. The food is always very very good.

The food here was really fabulous - everything was great, but they needed more servers. We were here on a Friday night as a group of 6 and our waitress took our order but then food servers ran our food out to us and we never saw our waitress again. We wanted to order more cocktails and a bottle of wine with dinner but she never showed up again except to bring the check. I think she had way too many tables to tend to.

The flavors here are always succulent. There is something for everyone, if you are interested in inventive cuisine that isn't too busy or overwhelming. This is a lovely, well designed space, the service is very good, and I have never had a less than excellent meal here.

We chose this spot since many of the best restaurants in Capitol Hill were booked. I had been wanting to try it for a while. It is a casual space with very good table service. The menu is not extensive and does not contain many surprises. These are mainly small plates to share. While everything was tasty, I was surprised at how bland the food was. It is not what I expected with Asian fare. We enjoyed our meal, especially the cocktails, but were not blown away by it.

This one of my favorite places to eat in the city. The drunken chicken is amazing. The service is very good. Plus they have an excellent wine list. Make a reservation on the weekend. If you're by yourself you can sit and the bar and enjoy dinner as you watch the staff cook.

We came here for dinner during our recent trip to Seattle. Monsoon is one of our B&B hosts' favorite restaurants nearby, so of course we wanted to check it out. We arrived a bit early for our reservation, and had a happy hour drink while we waited for our table to be ready. We liked the small plates menu and nice wines to go with this. Since it was restaurant week, we decided to try the set menu. We started with vegi roll and bo la lot, then went to catfish and curry prawns, finishing with mango sorbet. Everything was wonderful! Service was attentive and the atmosphere was pleasant as well. By the time we were finished, the place was getting filled up with happy diners and families. I think we would come back here on a future visit.

I went to monsoon With my daughter and friends it was fabulous, when my husband arrived in town I took him there too, and it was again hands down the best meal we had in Seattle, service 5, atmosphere 5!!!!!!!

A great to place eat! Great service and interesting flavors. Great ambiance! Tucked back in the North Capitol Hill Neighborhood for a decade or more. A solid value as well. The Imperil rolls start things off like a hand shake from someone destined to be a true friend and the tamarind soup gives your soul a warm hug. The drunken chicken confirms a relationship sure to last. My only disappointment was that I went some long before finding it!

This was my first time to Monsoon. A great setting on a nice summer evening in Seattle. The menu is a little limiting if you do not eat shell fish or meat but there are several vegetable dishes that you can turn into a meal. The tofu was quite good if you like things spicy. We had the spring rolls which were smaller than other places but at about the same price. For us the service was slow but the waiter indicated that they were not quick to come to our table as they noticed we were engaged in a good conversation. Maybe on the best excuse but acceptable. I am only giving Monsoon a four because of the atmosphere but in talking with others in our party we would likely not make the restaurant a frequent stop. Others however love it so you will need to be the judge for yourself.

I have been here 3 times and the Bellevue location once. Bellevue was my first visit and the Seattle location has never fully measured up. Seattle location is clean and modern, but not as beautiful as the Bellevue one. Food at the Seattle location is always beautiful, but the taste is always missing something. They are really close to being great, but never quite get there. More an American take on Vietnamese food than authentic fare. Still, a fun evening out in Capitol Hill

We went to this restaurant couple times. Nice ambience and especially the food. The appetizer, pho and main course until dessert are good. We missed to coming back.

service was a little slow maybe because it's Friday. neat place, Food we ordered were excellent. i had grilled pork chop with a tasty salad. price was reasonable, a repeater!

Took a few wrong turn looking for another place and ended up here. Oh man, what a happy accident. The atmosphere in Monsoon is amazing, sat at the bar and took in the bubbly murmurs of the other patrons and the sounds of the kitchen in a very relaxing and soothing environment. The tea was very good, as were the sping-rolls. The drunken chicken was positively perfect. Was on par with the hole's in the wall I've eaten in in West Houston's vibrant international district and the hipster packed joints in little Saigon in San Fran. If you're close to this place at all stop what you are doing and pop in for tea and let the menu melt your mind.

What a treat. Vietnamese with a Rim flair. Our second visit. Server and service was excellent. We'll be back soon.

We had a great dinner with another couple. The food was excellent and the service was better. Our waitress was upbeat, and genuine. She came back several times to take our orders while we got settled in. My husband and I shared lamb and cauliflower. Our friends shared as well. We all wanted to lick the plates when we were finished! The prices were reasonable, and the restaurant was not too noisy. The only drawback was that the restaurant has a policy that they won’t give separate checks. It’s not a terribly big deal- but this is Seattle, a very techy town. The systems to cover this should not be an issue.....

We decided to get a later afternoon bite to eat. As it turns out we hit Happy Hour. Indeed it was a happy hour that we spent there. Great choices of drinks both alcoholic and non. Great items on the menu of food to choose from. Not typical drinks and dishes but they had an added panache. We tried a number of different small plates and had no complaints of any but they were robust in flavor and delicious. This place is lively on a sunny afternoon and we were lucky enough to get a seat at a sidewalk talbe. I would highly recommend this place.

Asian fusion. Our 2nd dinner there. Every dish ( there were 5 of us )was iimaginative and delicious. Service was friendly and attentive. A tad on the pricy side, but worth it

So tasty and unique Vietnamese flare. No pho but other delicious noodles and vegetables. Not like eating in Vietnam but all flavors are authentic—more of a fusion style. Fave is clay pot catfish.

We happened upon Restaurant Week and had 3 courses for $28.00. Truly a lovely surprise. It was delicious; perfectly seasoned and filled with fresh ingredients. We had the fresh vegetable rolls, bbq pork ribs, yellow curry with prawns (a little spicy and a little sweet -- perfect), trout, and banana cake. Our server, Will, was wonderful- he advised us on ordering so we would sample a variety of dishes and suggested the perfect wine. Truly an amazingly delicious dinner.

Visiting the area, and Monsoon was recommended. So glad we decided to go, though a little out of the area we were staying. One of the best meals of our stay... and this was just a lunch stop. Beautiful area also

We end up here about once a month. Is it traditional Asian food? No, not exactly, but its close. It's easier than going to the International District and trying to find parking, fend off the homeless, and walk the dark streets. The interior is clean and inviting and for the uninitiated, (i.e., those that are not familair with Asian food, or have never been to Asia) the food is non-threatening and seemingly safe. We always order too much food. If you drive - try to park on 15th. We parked on a side street and our car was broken into. Not the fault of the restaurant - but be aware that there is crime in the area.

This place seems a cut Above and a bit different from the standard Vietnamese restaurant. I am not sure if it is authentic, or has been modified for American tastes. In any event, the food is excellent with good selections. The mixed drinks are creative, and there are good beers on tap.

The best thing about Monsoon is their food. It is consistently excellent. I go often. The service varies between good to excellent. If you are going on a weekend evening I suggest making a reservation.

We arrived at restaurant opening and got a table immediately for lunch. The service was a bit slow to warm up but when it did, it was prompt and polite. Our server recommended the vegan curry and it was outstanding! Creamy, filling and the right texture. The pho was complex and authentic. The imperial rolls crispy and delicious. The drunken chicken was a bit sweet for my taste but my son loved it. The lemongrass pork with chicken broth was tender, tasty and complex; the broth authentic. My family enjoyed their meals and we would definitely recommend Monsoon.

So excited to visit again after many years away. Sadly, it was a bit of a disappointment. Could it be that after living in San Jose, I know now what really special Vietnamese cuisine is all about? Monsoon Seattle is an incredibly beautiful space, but the food was rather unremarkable. The dining experience was further hampered by a server who came off as simply going through the motions. For a Monday lunch, we ordered the Imperial Rolls, Drunken Chicken, and Bun Cha Ha Noi. They were okay, but none of the items could compare to my regular place in SJ. With such fond memories of past visits, and all the continued raves, I really expected more. Thankfully, meals I enjoyed elsewhere on this trip keep me in love with Seattle's restaurants.

Monsoon is one of my favorite places to eat in Seattle. The food is always very good. The service goes between good and very good. The location where it's located makes it fairly easy to find parking close by. The drunken chicken is always a good choice. I also like the prawns and scallops. Their desserts are also very good.

A bit of a disappointment as my friend visiting from Wisconsin wanted to have some seafood & my search for 'seafood restaurants near Capitol Hill' brought up their name. There were only 2 selections on the lunch menu for seafood, altho her prawn dish was declared..'delicious'. Evidently there are more seafood options on the evening menu. I had the pork Banh Mi...overdone, dry & extremely salty. Did enjoy the 'French poached egg' on top. And my friend asked for more sauce....never came.

Great happy hour specials! Some of the best Dru Ken chicken I've ever had - perfectly tender and juicy and great sauce. Imperial roles are some of the best! Honestly though can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

Tasty food - too much American sugar added in. But overall fresh ingredients - service is lackluster. We sat next to a window. It was very dirty - like no manager/owner realizes that window wells need to be cleaned.

My husband made our reservation for my milestone birthday 30 days in advance. The restaurant texted him an hour before the reservation to ask if our party included anyone under 21. Since my husband was driving, he didn't see the text. They set up our table in the bar without confirming that everyone was 21+, since they rented out their main room to another event. When we arrived with our daughter who is a minor, family and friends, they blamed us for not responding to their text. They offered to seat us outside, which is heated; however, it was 43 degrees. They blamed us for not responding, did not apologize for mismanaging the reservation, and they made no effort to make it right. My husband called the following day and tried to speak to the manager, and they didn't make an effort to call back. We will not be back.

Roomy, fairly smart place. Welcoming, polite, unpretentious and informative service. The standard of cooking is reliably high, with all the power of traditional flavours and herbs mixed with PW ingredients. Particular delights include crispy imperial rolls and a splendidly Bo La Lot.

Everything we ordered was tasty but what stood out thE most was the short time for the food to arrive. The time to arrive after ordering was especially quick in light of it being very crowded and during Chinese New Year. We started with Bo La Lot which was tasty seasoned well. Our crispy crab rolls were also amazing. For the main meal we had a tofu dish along with The green beans. The green beans were a little undercooked but was still good and full of flavor. The tofu dish was amazing again with the seasoning. We ended with the desert of the black bean rice dumplings which was more sweet than I was used to. I would highly recommend a meal here. You won’t be disappointed as there is a large selection to choose from.

We went to Monsoon with family and had shared plates which was delicious. I especially loved the ribs , drunken chicken and the cauliflower. The staff were very knowledgeable about the food and wine and extremely efficient. Couldn’t fault the food .

I take all my guests to this neighborhood treasure! Love it all except the catfish pot... Imperial rolls are tasty, the drunken chicken is sweet and yummy, and the service is swift...so if you want to finish your cocktail, order your food after you are half way thru the drink.

...time with my partner´s truly gracious, lovely, smart family and occasion to come back to Monsoon. Here are the family style plates I loved: eggplant asparagus drunken chicken salt and pepper wings. Reputedly, the spare ribs were also excellent. My tequila drink (with pineapple, lime juice and hot pepper) was perfect.

Great to come back and visit a restaurant that I normally go to for brunch. Their dinner menu was a delight. Surprisingly, we didn’t even know it was restaurant week. Some of the tried and true appetizers, entrees and deserts were combined for restaurant week so we decided on the paired down menu combinations. I’ve eaten at Monsoon before but my partner has not. So it was great to introduce him to their fare. Service was wonderful. Our server was attentive and the busser assisting was attentive as well. Waters were refreshed in a timely manner. Food was delivered from the kitchen runner, busser and the server when ready. The hostess seated us at a center two top with a four top directly to our side. The 4 top seated next to us part way through the meal was rather loud, but we enjoyed our meal and paired down conversation. My partner ordered tea (not pictured here) which came with a tea pot and custom tea blend which was flavorful. Recommend a reservation during busy times, although we did a walk in for an early dinner. Appetizers were tasty. The Lemongrass Beef Skewers were a good starter with a wonderful sauce. The Crispy Imperial Rolls are a definite yes and will order again. It was my first Tim having them and it was a great experience of texture and flavors along with hot and cold all on one plate for an appetizer. The Drunken Chicken was a delight as were the Lemongrass Prawns with curry sauce. If you’re looking for something a bit heavy, the Drunken Chicken is the way to go. If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, the Lemongrass Prawns are a good choice. If we had a choice we would not order the banana cake for a dessert. It was a mushy consistency and was not warm all the way through. Although not warm all the way through, it still managed to burn my mouth a bit in the hot spots. (Which makes me suspect it was microwaved) In my opinion, The Banana Cake would be better served at room temperature with the cream sauce on the side so the cream doesn’t absorb into the cake. In the future we will likely just order the Jackfruit Ice Cream instead as we thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommend Monsoon for service, cleanliness, flavors/textures. Groups of 4 seem to be their sweet spot as there were very few 2 tops doing a date night like us.

If you like Vietnamese food then this is surely the place to go. Everything that we had was delicious in this packed little place. It’s good value too. Watch out though the portions are very large so if you want a selection of things don’t expect to be able to finish them all! There is a reasonable choice of wines too. We were served well and followed our servers recommendations.

What a great addition to the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Monsoon will hit a all your tastebuds and put them in overdrive. You have multiple choices from excellent seafood, meat, chicken or lamb with a great variety of vegetables. The chef has provided a great infusion of flavors and ingredients to make the BBQ ribs pop, or the scallops that have a nice flavor. Move Monsoon to the top of your list.

We always have a fantastic meal here--have never gone wrong with an order. Creative, wonderful food.

I have been going to this restaurant since it first opened. Although I have moved away, it is a must when I go back to visit. Grouchy hostess who had little tact when telling people they were full and couldn't accommodate anyone without a reservation and who was very put off when asking us to sit in a different place from where the waitress told us to sit and I declined. I wonder if the owner knows that three parties were turned away and three tables sat completely empty the entire time we were there. Seat people and tell them the time they need to give the table up for an incoming reservation. Hundreds of dollars were perhaps lost. Ok, enough of that, back to the amazing food. The scallops are to die for. The spare ribs- OMG. Just go for it as you pretty much can't go wrong. I just wish they would open this place in Malibu. WE NEED IT!

During a recent visit to Seattle, we had the pleasure of dining at Monsoon with 8 family members we hadn't seen in over 30 years. Tyler, our server, was fantastic! We ordered several items and all had a tasting of each. We enjoyed them all and look forward to dining there again.

I would have given this restaurant five stars, but the service was terrible. I ducked in on a Wednesday afternoon for a quick bite and drink and was incredibly disappointed by the bartender's service. Despite there being only two of us at the bar and a table of four in the corner, he was inattentive, unfriendly, and managed to get my order wrong. I had to flag him over each time I ordered a drink, ordered another plate, and needed the check. There is something wrong with the service when a server/bartender makes you (and your dining companion) feel unimportant and that you should be grateful to him for dining at a restaurant at which he works. That all said, the cocktails and food were excellent, as usual. The food has been consistently great ever since the restaurant opened.

This Asian fusion/Vietnamese restaurant just didn’t have very exciting food. The shrimp Curry had a thick bland peanut sauce, the eggplant in coconut tasted of little more than that. The salmon was delicious as was its daikon and mango salad. But all The food lacked the depth and subtlety of flavor that we expected. Nice people and pleasant room.

We arrived mid-afternoon for the "happy hour" meal. We were seated immediately. The server was pleasant and knowledgeable. Our food was fantastic. We sampled nearly every item on the happy hour menu and every item was fantastic. We were quite pleased.

Nice place, staff was friendly but wasn't impressed with the food especially for the price. Also if you plan to go to happy hour they only let you eat in the bar area. I would opt to try out a new place first before going back here.

The food and menu were varied and interesting, service was pleasant and efficient, the setting is casual and upbeat. My daughter and I ordered 5 appetizers and no entre and shared with our other two diners so we tried a lot of different foods. The rib appetizer was great, but it was all so good. It was a delicious and fun evening on bustling Capitol Hill

Returned to Monsoon, having spent a number of evenings dining there over the years. Service, food, TLC were all excellent. The restaurant is small and noisy and has an expansion going on right now. But the food is excellent. Highly recommend a dinner there.

Newly expanded Monsoon has lost none of its flavor with the addition of a nice bar area and more seating, and yes, it is one of those very rare places where ordering anything works just fine. The food is Vietnamese in design infused with Northwest ingredients and overtones. Everything works perfectly here, the staff, the ambiance and the food. Overall I judge Monsoon to be the best value in a restaurant in Seattle. Don't miss it.

This was a great spot for sharing plates and savoring each dish as it comes out from the kitchen. We went for dinner as a party of six women. Our favorite starters were the bò là lốt (painted hills farm flank steak wrapped with là lốt leaves and grilled, nước chấm), followed closely by the green papaya salad with shrimp, grilled Monterey squid with duck meat, and watermelon salad. Entree favorites were the grilled copper river sockeye salmon and the wokked Willamette Valley lamb. Cocktails were a little on the sweet side. Service was friendly but not super attentive. Food and decor were the highlights here for me. Food is also reasonably priced and street parking around the area wasn't too hard to find. They have a newish deck on the second floor that looks awesome but we sat downstairs and with the windows open on a temperate evening it was heaven.

Monsoon beckoned to us when we were in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood at lunchtime. It had been a few years since we dined here and we had fond memories of our dinner experiences. But the lunch menu at this Vietnamese restaurant did not seem as extensive nor offer the dishes that we remembered from evening visits. Still, it was easy to find items that appealed. I ordered starters— Imperial Rolls and Bo La Lot — and my husband went for the Vermicelli Noodles with Tofu. Our choices arrived quickly. Though the imperial rolls had good flavor and a nice crunchy consistency, the Bo La Lot truly excelled because of the taste and tenderness of the flank steak. My husband considered the tofu to be too spicy because it had been wok fried in a sauce that contained red chiles. Heat remains a matter of personal preference, however, and we should have requested that all our dishes be as mild as possible. The greeter seated us in the bar area at a bank of windows rather than the main dining room. Customers, who entered later, were also seated in this area. From outside, this seating arrangement gave the effect of a full restaurant, though many vacant tables remained. Noise level remained low, and we appreciated the natural illumination on the rainy day. Service proved to be fine. Our waitress was prompt and attentive and the food was prepared in a timely manner. But I thought the meal was a bit pricey at $38, excluding tax. We did not order drinks. Parking is often difficult to find in this area. We parked high on a hill, about two blocks away.

I was recently at Monsoon restaurant in Seattle with a group of 10 people on a Saturday night. The food was beautifully prepared, delicious, and plentiful. The wait staff handled the orders very efficiently and attentively, and we had a thoroughly delightful dining experience. Although the space in the restaurant is fairly tight, we managed. Noise level is a bit high, but overall, I strongly recommend you give it a try. Make a reservation if you can.

Really like this place!! The service and food is excellent! If you are craving good quality very tasty with lots of style Chinese food then this is your place. I always love and enjoy places that have several levels of flavor in their dishes and is artfully plated. The atmosphere is very quite and comfortable. Not too over the top but very classy and relaxing. The decor is modern and artsy. Great date night place!!

Very nice little place. I found it to be trendy but it had a warm feel to it. The food was great. The salads are awesome and I would definitely recommend ordering one. The cocktails were also good. We were all pleased with our meals. I would dine there again. Price wise I cannot say it was inexpensive but worth it overall.

We were introduced to this neighborhood favorite off the beaten path on Capitol Hill by a good friend. It has a welcoming vibe, comfortable seating and a delightful menu filled with tasty surprises. Our group of five shared the drunken chicken—a tasty specialty—the smoked porkchop—very good—curry prawns—my favorite—with sweet corn, wokked asparagus, brown rice, banana cake and a wonderful pinot noir. The service was attentive and helpful, and made Monsoon a wonderful place for a great evening.

I had a chance to visit Monsoon for the first time last week and the food was amazing! We were a group of 10 and tried a wide variety of dishes - all delicious. The yellow curry with prawns is one on the best dishes I've ever had and I've had a few! My biggest problem - coming up with an excuse to go back soon.

Nestled on Capital Hill between residences and businesses, Monsoon is an all-time favorite for Asian fusion food. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful in making recommendations for food and cocktail pairings. It's a great place for a birthday or special occasion.

We have been going to Monsoon almost weekly over the past year or so since it's close, has good parking and we like Monsoon's modern take on Vietnamese food. The food is almost always very good or excellent. The dim sum (served on the weekends) is always excellent. We stopped going a number of years ago because it was cold and the service mediocre. We started coming back in no small part because the restaurant is kept warmer and the service has improved significantly. The food has not changed. It has been consistently good from the beginning.

This is a gem. Local restaurant in Capitol Hill. Took Uber from city center. Staff was great Food was unique and excellent.

This restaurant is owned by two siblings who grew up in Saigon. They've created a restaurant that is so Seattle that we often bring out of town guests here and celebrate family milestones, too. The cuisine celebrates fresh and local with wonderful asian flavors. The service is friendly and almost always efficient. The food is a good value, with generous portions. The mixed drinks are skillfully prepared. We recommend the ribs, drunken chicken, eggplant, and banana cake. The rooms tend to be rather noisy rather than intimate. Reservations are always a good idea.

Good pho with lots of meat. Sticky rice and crispy dumplings were also good. Portions were a bit small for us but everything was flavorful overall.

Monsoon is a smaller restaurant tucked into a small enclave of shops in Capitol Hill. It is dark, sleek and intimate, with an artfully backlit bar that adds to the feeling of low-key elegance. We had a table for two by a window. Around us were both larger groups and other couples, so it works for both. I had a smoked whiskey cocktail that was perfect, and ribeye steak with a sauce on the side that had such fabulous flavors I'll never think of ribeye in the same way again. My husband had a delicious lamb dish. We shared the spiced green beans (crunchy and not overly spicy) and a coconut creme brûlée (rich and creamy). The restaurant was full, but we could hear our conversation without having to raise our voices - always a bonus. The service was average, not noteworthy, but that might just have been that our waitress was having a bad night. For example, after she gave us a dessert menu to peruse, we were left for about 25-30 minutes. Well, at least we didn't feel rushed, which was a nice thing because we were really enjoying the ambiance. I look forward to coming back to this special place.

Who knew a fusion asian restuarant would have crab benedict! It was fabulous. It was hard to choose between the more traditional Pho and congee but the benedict won out.

If you are just thinking of whether you should go to Monsoon or not, then you should pick up the phone and make a reservation for this place. Although it is a bit on the pricey side for Asian food, the service, the food presentation and the flavours of each dish really sets it apart from all other Asian restaurants and makes it worthy of a visit you will not likely forget anytime soon. The resto is small, but they are expanding to allow for more patrons. The service is attentive and detail oriented when necessary. The waiters know their dishes very well. Do listen to your waiter. He will tell you the most popular dishes and the ones he thinks are best. The three of us had a squid stuffed with duck ( really nice little appetizer that was not on the original recommended list of dishes he suggested ),raw salad ( also not mentioned on his list but perfect to open up the taste buds for a group of four or more because it can get a little sour after more than two bites) , a catfish clay pot ( cooked to perfection - no wonder this is one of their most popular dishes! ) and lamb chops ( you can't go wrong with this dish either!). To top it off, we had their famous banana cake with coconut cream. It was melt in your melt delicious! Dishes that were recommended and that I wish I had the chance to try - Bo lo lat, pork spare ribs, drunken chicken We loved the fact that we shared all the dishes ( and you should do so too) because every dish was bursting with flavours so unique that your tongue will be continuously surprised by each new piece of food you put in your mouth. This place is perfect for a nice evening with family, friends or a date! I can't wait for my next visit to Monsoon!

This is a really excellent modern Vietnamese restaurant in Seattle - one of the best Vietnamese meals I've ever had - get the drunken chicken and the claypot catfish.

Every dish we chose was made from good ingredients, excellently cooked and plated. The servers were delightful, cheerful and helpful. the price was modest compared to the quality that we received. I highly recommend this place to anyone who likes asian themed and flavored dishes. (I prefer to reserve 5 stars for meals that are among the best I have ever had.) But the food here is indeed very good. It is true there is unattractive and at least visually intrusive construction going on next door, but at least it was not in progress on saturday evening. Parking is also hit or miss on the street only. While the catfish dish is bragged on and indeed delicious, the sauce is a bit heavy and I preferred the scallops. the wine selections are well chosen. I was impressed that every single dish was really good.

I researched this restaurant and was excited to see that their menu listed items that are gluten free. When my daughter and I arrived, we let the waitress know that we had Celiac Disease and she told us that it wouldn't be a problem, she'd be sure to let the kitchen know. We placed our order, being sure only to select only items that had the GF next to the name. The Tofu Fresh Rolls came out first. In the first bight I notice something crunchy, which made me nervous. I opened up the roll and saw what looked like a fried cracker. I asked the waitress, and after checking with the kitchen she let us know that they were not gluten free. Unfortunately, because of that single bite I was up vomiting all night. I know that a lot of places roll their eyes when we tell them that we are gluten free. We try to only eat at places restaurant that reference they have gluten free options. Super disappointed in how the waitress, kitchen, & manager handled this matter.

Monsoon had a special this week to celebrate their 20 years of being in business. It was 3 courses for $20.00 A fantastic deal. I assumed it would be smaller portions but it was not. It was their normal/generous size servings. The Imperial rolls were incredible as always. The service is normally very good...but tonight was a little off. But didn't detract for our having a great meal.

The dishes are simple, but have big flavor!. I had the drunken chicken. This was like a sweet & mildly spicy fried chicken in sauce. It came with jasmine rice, and sunny side egg, and greens. Delicious. My daughter had the Tofu with the stir-fried veggies, fried egg and rice, also fantastic.

the ambiance here is unremarkable. many reviewers criticize the service but we had no complaints. the hostess didn't gush and the waiter didn't behave like your best friend, but they were efficient, pleasant enough and competent. we actually prefer a wait staff to be unobstrusive and they certainly are here, but not to the point of indifference. the big news is the wonderful food. it's difficult to characterize the style, maybe vietnamese fusion, but whatever it's called, the food is delicious. for APPETIZERS a "fresh" shrimp roll is actually a soft wrap where the vegetables overwhelm the shrimp. normally i'm not a fan of soft wraps but the greens were so fresh and tasty, and the dipping sauce so good, i ate every crumb. the duck-stuffed squid was a dish like no other i've tasted, fabulous. the flank steak wrap was equally good and the spare ribs may have been the tastiest and certainly were the meatiest i've ever had. for a MAIN COURSE we shared the drunken chicken, a signature dish at monsoon. it's a large potion, very tasty, but it didn't quite reach the exalted level of the appetizers. for DESSERT i had crab and asparagus soup. (soup for dessert? sure, why not?) it's reminiscent of the same dish served by kirin's chinese restaurant in vancouver, bc, and it's wonderful. my wife's banana cake lived up to the excellent ratings cited in many other reviews. the prices are reasonable in view of the quality of the food. we'll be back.

Excellent choices on afternoon menu, which makes you want to have dinner to taste the rest of the menu. Good NW wine list but CA wines offered as well.

My wife and I recently had a very good dinner at Monsoon Seattle. She ordered the catfish hot pot, which was very good. I ordered the tamarind soup and the scallops. We wound up sharing the tamarind soup, which was really one of the highlights of the meal and and a dish I would absolutely recommend. I would have given the restaurant 5 stars had in not been for the rather bland scallop dish I had as my main course. My wife had the flan for desert, which was excellent and I had the lychee ice cream. I would definitely go back to this restaurant and very much recommend it to others.

I enjoyed the ambiance of this place a lot. The menu had a wonderful selection of Asian-fusion foods. I came here with my good friend recently and we spent the evening discussing over drinks. The dish I ordered were the Curry Prawns which were absolutely delicious. The service here was great and fast.I definitely recommend this place for a girls night out or simply a treat for yourself.

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. The traditional Vietnamese dishes with a Pacific Northwest twist never fail to delight. Last night four of us had dinner here and shared four dishes family style, an approach that the servers recommend. Over the years, I have noted that the person who waits on us always suggests ordering far more dishes than we can possibly eat. When this happened last night, we said that we would start with four and perhaps order more later. We dined on crispy imperial rolls (Carlton Farm pork, shrimp, glass noodles, nuoc cham); carmelized Idaho catfish claypot with fresh coconut juice and green onions; crispy Washington drunken chicken yu choy; and wokked sweet corn with chanterelle mushtrooms. All these dishes proved to be excellent, including the catfish, which I would have never ordered on my own. One member of our party really wanted this and it was a superb choice. When finished, we all had just enough room for dessert and shared a slice of delicious cake. Service was excellent -- professional, knowledgeable, friendly and efficient; and the room was comfortable. We found parking on a neighborhood street.

Our adult family group of 6 loved the variety - satisfied the vegetarians, non-fish eaters and Asian cuisine fans. We shared several appetizers and each ordered own main course. Favorites were the scallops and cod dishes, with wines reasonably priced. The servers were knowledgable without over-explaining every garnish. Ambience is chatty but not too loud for conversation. Plus, it was a nice night so the front windows were open. Helpful note - there is a small free parking lot behind Monsoon, entered by the alley.

We enjoyed a fabulous meal here. We were a party of 4 and shared 4 appetizers and 4 entrees. They were all amazing. A great evening.

Monsoon is located in a cute little area in North Capitol Hill. Great for drilling and window shopping while waiting for your table. We had reservations for three and came in a little early. This seemed to confuse the hostess who was having a hard time configuring tables and estimating wait times. We left for a while since she wasn't ready for us, and returned several times to check on the table. Finally were seated about 30 minutes after our reservation time. End of complaints. It's all uphill from here. Monsoon has a fantastic roof area for dining, and since Seattle evening weather is near perfect in the summer, the place was packed, even on a weekday. We ended up sitting on the main level overlooking the street with great indoor outdoor vibe. Waitress was excellent. Engaging, funny and very capable. We ordered several appetizers, including bo ba lat and vegetable rolls. Presentation was superb and all were delicious. The diver scallops were amazing, as was the clay pot chicken. Drunk chicken was good also, but not as unique as the other dishes. Kind of reminded me of Chinese sesame chicken. Pretty sauce heavy. All in all this is a great upscale Vietnamese restaurant with a fun ambiance. Highly recommended!

Moved to the area this fall and discovered this gem of a Vietnamese restaurant with a touch of class. The staff all seem to genuinely care about the experience you have from waiting to be seated, to each choice of dish. Have chosen different dishes every time we have been (5 -7) each visit and cannot fault a single one. Special treat.

Interesting food - wel-lprepared and nicely served. They have recently expanded and added a full bar. Try their the drunken chicken.

This is Monsoon at Seattle . I have been to Monsoon at Bellevue and the menu is different and still inviting. Food is great and service is super.

From start to finish a wonderful evening but make reservations. We were seated at the bar as we did not call ahead...did not matter. Food and service great. Knowledgeable bar staff, try a Sayurita (sp ?) ,we did, several times. Stuffed squid stuffed with duck? No you say! It works well together. My Sockeye salmon was good but the Drunken Chicken was beautiful. Not inexpensive but worth it.

We had a lamb dish and a prawn curry dish as well as a few appetizers that were all very good. Sitting up at the kitchen bar offers an interesting perspective to see all of the food coming out. It's definitely worth checking out, although not quite the value it was priced at for me.

This is a go-to place for our local friends. The kitchen produces reliably good food; sometimes superlative. Last night the special shrimp and veggie wontons were a wonderful new take on an old standard. Curry prawns were good; also scallops. Our waiter was very attentive ad sweet. However, after we made our reservations (3 at 6 pm) we got a call back, saying that they could not accommodate us after all. They could only take us at 5:30 or 8 p.m. (Someone more important made a reservation after we did? They made a mistake at first?). We opted for the 5:30 time and there was some scuffling for a table in a relatively quiet restaurant. Then the maitre’d announced we could have a table if we were out by 7. (Who ever heard of this?) We thought it was a new person? We were distressed, though did not say anything or make a scene. Rather than try to make things right, she continued through the evening to be sour, acting cross, failing to meet eye-contact or smile when she took plates and provided ore water. The chill in the air spoiled what might have been a good dining experience. Aside from being disappointing, it was one of those evenings when a good meal and a good experience really would have made a difference — we were in town to assist someone getting surgery, and were taking a break from the hospital.

The four of us had reservations for hopefully the roof, but that was not to be. We were able to have a small table outside which we preferred to inside. The place was buzzing, but our service was exceptional. Be prepared to hear all the conversations from the tables around you, even the ones on the sidewalk, and street. It’s just part of the ambience. We ordered family style: Prawns, Vegetarian rolls, Grilled Peppercorn Ribeye, Drunken Chicken, Corn, Asparagus, and Jasmine Rice. Because I’m allergic to mushrooms, this posed a bit of a dilemma because so many of the dishes contain them. I was limited to just a few choices, but those limited few were quite good. If you’re also allergic to shellfish and don’t eat meat, you might want to peruse their menu first.

We asked for seperate checks. The waiter's response was, "We don't do seperate checks." What??? Some customer service would be nice. The food was great. It's too bad the staff are upity!!

Monsoon is a small-ish, neighborhood place on Capitol Hill. The recommendation of the waiter suggesting we share the roll platter (a plate of 2-each of 4 types) was truly wonderful. We also shared the caramelized Idaho catfish pot. Overall it is a couple bucks more than you might expect to pay for the amount of food and not being an upscale restaurant. We were satisfied without being stuffed. We could have entertained dessert, but nothing jumped out at us from the dessert menu. Parking is available in the neighborhood on the street. No separate parking lot.

Went for lunch at this Vietnamese restaurant during Christmas week. The place was very crowded and very busy. Since it was our first time, we can’t say if they were understaffed that day or always. The poor waitress could not handle everyone, so we waited a long time before our order was taken. Three of the meals came out at about the same time, but the fourth one took at least 10 more minutes before it was delivered. The food was acceptable, particularly the Imperial Rolls and Pho Bo soup.

Monsoon is always a very good place for dinner. The quality of the food is always very good to excellent. The service used to be excellent but sadly it is not what it was in the past. I'm not quite sure why. Go for the great food and lets all hope the service gets back to it's higher standards.

The new and enlarged Monsoon continues to offer excellent food and service. The crispy imperial rolls are incredible. I love the main seafood dishes, especially when they offer scallops. The caramelized Idaho catfish is great. If they have flan for dessert make sure you save room. Bring your friends from out of town and they will be very grateful. Very good idea to make a reservation.

Overall enjoyed our experience at Monsoon. We had the Ahi Tuna rolls, Drunken Chicken, and Vegetable Fried Rice. The rice was the highlight: well seasoned and lots of fresh vegetables. The Drunken Chicken was very heavily sauced and overly sweet, we couldn’t enjoy it as much as we wanted to. The tuna rolls were good.

The food was amazing... the service suffered a little but I think they were short staff... wonderful place. Had a few family members that had never been to Vietnamese and they loved it.

Enjoyable brunch with a friend. Had the Eggs Benedict with pork belly on rice- great flavors! Served with a side of baby bok choy that made for a great late night snack that evening. The coffee was decent for Seattle. The lemongrass mimosa was refreshing. Only complaint was that the meal was not properly expedited... after ordering dim sum for appetizers, the entrees showed up moments after shrimp dumplings.

There were three of us that shared a variety of dishes. The dishes were very different and is a cross between Chinese and Thai. Started with the Ahi roll which was nothing special. The crispy veggie roll with the sauce was very good and a must. We tried the drunken chicken which these fellow posters recommended and we were not disappointed. The breast meat was doubled fried and very crispy. The scallops came in threes and were huge. Fried rice was as expected and egg plant was nothing special but tasty. We finished with the banana cake and this was a big hit for the table. Well priced and surprisingly very good.

Beautiful residential area for a great spot for lunch. We walked up to the Capital Hill area from the waterfront . It took us about 50 minutes. This is a nicely laid out restaurant serving excellent Vietnamese dishes. The staff were very friendly and suggested a good wine for us which she let us try. Go for a walk along the road to check out the beautiful houses in the area. If you want to get away from the fried American food in the city centre venture up to this place.

Though I am a bit tired of Asian Fusion restaurants this spot was quite nice. The oysters were divine and the mignonette was delicious. Not at all spicy but an interesting mix of flavors. The drunken chicken and eggplant dishes were excellent.

I run a Bed and Breakfast on beautiful capitol hill and have for 37 years. I personally fell in love years ago with this wonderful eatery and it immediately became my "go to place" Since then I have referred guests to in weekly and I have never had any response other that gratitude in helping them find this hidden gem here in Seattle. Many of my guests return to the Gaslight yearly and the first thing they want me to do is make them a reservation at Monsoon. The food is scrumptious the service is professional, the atmosphere is inviting. I love their new bar and outside area. It is still my all time best retaurant in the city

If you are at Capitol Hill, this is a good option. Nice service, pleasant atmosphere, good food. Dungeness crab roll and crispy imperial rolls recommended. Scallops very good. Drunken chicken excellent.

We dined at Monsoon last night with another couple. From the moment we entered until we left, everything was perfect: On-line reservations, seating arrangement, service, lovely ambiance and, oh, did I mention the food! This is one of Seattle's most fabulous small neighborhood restaurants. The ingredients are fresh, the menu is well thought out, the portions are just right and the staff is especially well trained. From meat to fish to vegetarian it is all done especially well with eye-catching presentations. The owners are Vietnamese and pride themselves on creating an environment and a dining experience that you will totally enjoy. We live about four blocks away and it is a pleasure to walk, but if you drive, parking is not a problem.

I reviewed this place when we moved to Seattle in 2014 and have been a regular at lunch and dinner. This has been a consistent favorite but in the past year or so we have been frequenting other places as every time we go to Monsoon now the service just gets worse. The food is still nice, but the staff just doesn't seem to want to be there. In fact the last 5 or 6 visits have been because other people whom we are with, remember its better times, want to go. It also seems much less busy, which suggests we are not the only one who feel this way. When we left last night another group was complaining about the only waiter in the main restaurant, who took forever to bring us our bill. This is fixable IMO, food and ambience is still great, although seems to have got much more expensive. In fact we were there during happy hour and asked if we could order of the happy hour menu (which is quite nice and different to the restaurant), but they seem to want to offer this to only drinkers and those allowed in the lounge. Which is a pity and probably a bit short sighted...!!

We expected a bit more flavor and pizzazz from our brunch menu dishes. “Drunken chicken” — served both as a stand-alone appetizer and as part of a rice bowl — was tasteless and tough, too sweet, and heavily breaded. Lemon-grass pork was sort of greasy and bland (seemingly one-tenth the amount of lemon-grass). Why bother coming back? Disappointed.

Monsoon is one of my Seattle family's go-to restaurants, and another visit recent visit reinforced their good taste. This night, highlight dishes I recall were the imperial rolls, wokked squid, wokked green beans, drunken chicken, grilled pork chop and cream caramel dessert. As always, everything was excellent -- not a bad bite in the bunch -- and the price value is great. Seattle has restaurants with better views and tonier settings, but Monsoon holds its own when it comes to the food.

That was a memorable lunch!! We shared the crispy imperial rolls which one of our servers explained taste best when wrapped in a lettuce leaf along with the fresh mint, all of which was on the plate. Sublime, when dipped in the accompaning sauce. I then had Lemongrass Chicken that is still on my mind, it was so tender and flavorful. My husband had something equally yummy. The service was prompt and friendly. The restaurant was airy and comfortable. This is one of our favorite Vietnamese restaurants in Seattle.

I was served by a Vandi(y?) the passive aggressive bartender, who not only couldn't make a martini right the first time or the third time, failing to forget to add vermouth. Erik Banh and Doug manage this atrocious location. They wouldn't acknowledge the long ticket time or the attitude. Food is subpar, sauces were so salty on the catfish you wonder who is cooking your food. Not surprising considering Doug and Eric the owners incel attitudes towards guests, thank you, don't cum again.

Enjoyed a nice meal with yummy, tasty food while visiting this Capital Hill restaurant. We ate in the bar side of the restaurant at a window table. We had great service and were very tempted by the desert offerings.

Having been to Hanoi before, I usually don't expect Vietnamese food in the US to be as good. But Monsoon surprised me! We shared some spring rolls, green beans and the bun cha ha noi. All of it excellent - fresh, complex flavors and nicely presented with generous sides of lettuce and herbs.

So glad we were invited to join a dinner party of friends... Delicious! We were in Seattle for Valentine's Day weekend without a restaurant reservation for Valentine's Day (there for a friend's wedding, then a business trip came up and I was going to leave that evening and THEN it was cancelled last minute). A friend of ours had reserved a table for six and some had dropped out - would we join them? The food was wonderful (although the menu more limited due to the holiday so our friends missed a few of their fav dishes). We had one pescatarian with us out of the part of six and there were plenty of Vietnamese dishes for everyone to enjoy. We started with several plates of appies - rolls and the duck-stuffed baby squid (YUM!) and a blood-orange salad. Around the table someone had the lamb, I had the chicken, my husband had the steak and the other three had the rockfish. Everything was so good. Oh! Awesome cocktail selection too! We would go there again. The restaurant is nice but relaxed - being Capitol Hill some people were dressed up and others dressed down. We are adding this to our list of places to return to when we visit next.

With my brother visiting from out-of-town, I made a lunch reservation on-line at Monsoon in Seattle. When we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted by nails being hammered, drilling and other construction sounds. There was no mention of the construction on the restaurant's website. And there certainly was no apology from the restaurant staff - they acted like it was business as usual. We opted to go elsewhere. So, keep this in mind if you want a quiet meal.

I went to Monsoon with a friend. We ordered a mix of things. First their Apple salad followed by the Carpaccio. Both were delicious and totally different from what they usually are at other restaurants. Then we had Filet and Alaskan cod. Both were excellent. We ended with two deserts which were also delicious. I had never visited Monsoon nor any other vietnamese restaurant. But it was so good, I will return here for sure. This is a must visit, period.

The combination of a beautiful environment, courteous staff, and lovingly presented food, made our meal feel really special. Our friend who had invited us to dinner is a seasoned veteran of Monsoon, so she guided us to order some of the most delicious Vietnamese dishes we had tasted in quite some time. After a filling family-style meal, we were surprised that the end bill was actually still so reasonable (though it probably helped that we'd decided not to order alcohol). All in all, a delightful experience. If we were local, I'm sure we would be repeat customers.

We waited 45 minutes after out reservation time but our cocktails were free so that almost made up for it.The food was delicious and imaginative.

The starters were very good. We ordered pork belly and tuna rolls. Pork belly portion and price matched. My husband loved his drink called raincheck. However I think the main entrees were small portions and overpriced. We ordered curry lamb(taste good), Catfish claypot(ok), cran fried rice (so so). I did not have the vietnamese food feel or satisfaction from the dinner. I do like the restaurant atmosphere. Server was friendly and nice. If I would ever go back, I would do starters only.

This may well be one of the best 20 restaurants in Seattle. It is consistently very good. Tonight, it was excellent. Appetizers (Imperial and Crab rolls) were perfectly prepared. A beef appetizer, wrapped in spinach (I think) was served with one of the best dipping sauces on the planet. Diver scallops were perfectly cooked, so, too a lamb dish served with scallions and Bok Choy. Service was fast, friendly and helpful. Our meal here tonight reminds me that most of us are accustomed to decent, not great food. Come here and see the difference between decent and great.

On a warm spring evening, a friend and I were sipping wine, having a great time exchanging stories and comparing tales on the porch of his Capitol Hill home when we discovered it was dinner time and there was no food in the house. He phoned Monsoon for take away (take out) food and within 30 minutes we were resuming our porch-side conversation along with some delicious food. We had the ribs, the stuffed squid, spicy green beans and banana cake. It's a challenge to say which was the best of these delicacies. Perhaps it was the banana cake because it was such a scrumptious surprise. The sweet-salty-soothing topping that is poured over the cake was an excellent finish.

Monsoon is a family favorite for us, a place for celebrations and out-of-town guests. This Asian-meets-Pacific Northwest restaurant always delights us with bright flavors and generous portions. This is a great place for everyone to order something different and share around. The appetizers are fun and the entrees are tasty. We are a bit snooty about food, so rarely order chicken at restaurants--but at Monsoon, we always share an order of Drunken Chicken. And it is a given that our usually carnivorous family will fight over who gets to finish the eggplant! We usually have dinner here, but the weekend brunch is also good and a good value. The restaurant gets busy later in the evening and we always make reservations. The room is plain, the tables compact, and it is fairly noisy, so not a great place for business or very young children. At our most recent visit, the server seemed a bit grumpy, but we usually find the service good.

It is in a residential part of Capital Hill. The food is tasty but not outstanding. The veg side dishes are delicious, the fish is ordinary. They do takeout.

Thai themed, chopsticks at your setting with silverware on request. Chose the watermelon salad appetizer, but this was bland. Had the salmon dinner to share and the noodles to share, and this was a good combination and adequate for two. Other couple enjoys their crispy chicken in a heavy sauce. Gets busy as the evening progresses and they also have a balcony upstairs for alfresco dining.

I think Monsoon aspires to deliver much more than they actually did. The food was fine, but not memorable. We started with the Imperial Rolls (shrimp and pork) and these were very good -- our favorite thing that we ordered. We shared the Claypot Catfish -- it was kind of mushy, not much flavor --- the Curried Shrimp, which were pretty good and the Stirfry greenbeans -- which you really can't go wrong with, these were good, but not spicy. They brought out a slice of banana cake for my daughter's birthday, which was a surprise and the cake was surprisingly good. I hate banana, but this was actually yummy. So overall I was underwhelmed with the food; perhaps my expectations were too high. The other thing I would add is that the restaurant is divided into two rooms. The bar side of the restaurant is far more atmospheric and pleasant. The other side (where we were placed) is over lit, and feels more like a busy lunch place. I didn't know to ask for the bar side, but I did make a reservation many, many weeks ahead and it might have been nice to have been "placed" in the nice part of the restaurant. On the other hand our server was very nice and worked with our special food needs as well as going out of her way to get us the curried shrimp. Overall, the food needs to be better.

Not in the center of Seattle but not far out either. Very good pan Asian food in a really nice comfortable setting. While the owners are Vietnamese, the food has a mix of different cuisines with, to our taste, a decidedly Thai influence. It was very tasty, well prepared and visually appealing. Service was very good as well.

My cousin was bragging about this place so we headed out to Monsoon for a Saturday Brunch. I now know why she was bragging! Wonderful street front restaurant we got a window seat just after opening. We started with Shrimp Dumplings and Stick Rice for appetizers. I had the Crab Eggs Benedict and she had the Crispy Local Drunken Chicken. All were amazing. Fresh and perfectly cooked. Should I find myself back up there this will be #1 on my return list.

One of our favourites and tonight was my wife's birthday fete shared with daughter and her partner. Soluritas (Monsoon's take on a margarita) were great as usual to start the evening off. We ordered the Dungeness crab and shrimp starter roll which was fried but not greasy with a light rice wine vinegar sauce. The Drunken Chicken was excellent as always and the Bavette outstanding as were the ribs. However the tofu was not to our liking, a bit too "watery." Perhaps under the lamps too long...generally my go to dish, the only reason I gave a three and not a four...never given a five as there is always room for improvement. Overall great as usual, service good. Fair wine list but not overwhelming...had a passable French Côte du Rhone. If you haven't tried Monsoon give it a go.

It is a Vietnamese restaurant with touches of other Asian foods and plenty of modern influence. Each single dish was very well presented and simply delicious!

What a great little restaurant. Listen to your waiter. He recommended dishes like catfish in a clay pot that was delicious. Everything was tasty and unique. Service was outstanding. I will go back next visit to Seattle!

Dined with friends on the "3 for $30" special. Both food and service were really exceptional. Even with the "limited" menu, there were enough choices to taste many dishes and we could "family style" the plates to enjoy enough of each dish to really experience the depth of flavors. For appetizers, the standouts were the barbequed ginger pork ribs (with hot towels provided for mop up) and the crispy vegetarian rolls. The claypot catfish and drunken chicken were so good, we practically licked the plates and the asian eggplant was a hit with even the die-hard meat lovers. We sampled all three desserts and declared each the winner. We were undecided about which wine to chose and the staffperson recommended and even brought a sample of a lovely German reisling. This meal ranked as one of the best meals we've ever had in the years we have participated in the Dining in Seattle events.

Our second time in Seattle and returned to Monsoon. Such delicious food, well prepared and served in a professional and friendly manner. Dana C. Was out server—she was terrific. Thank you, Dana. Food is probably higher end price wise for Vietnamese food but well worth the price. Every dish-Dungeness crab roll, flank steak with jicama, lamb stir fry, catfish—was excellent.

Four days in Vancouver, three in Seattle, and this was the best meal of the trip. Close by where we stayed, so we walked. Interior is well-appointed. Service was efficient, friendly, knowledgeable. Food was excellent: oysters, imperial rolls, asparagus, green beans, pork chop, cod, sweet corn, crab fried rice. Every dish was outstanding -- nothing off the mark. We actually debated eating here every night that we were in Seattle. Highly recommended.

We sat at the bar next to the kitchen and kept ordering more food after seeing other plates. Everything was excellent. The banana bread dessert was moist and tasty.

Good food but not as good as other reviews indicate. I never had vietnamese food like this but the indonesian food I have eaten is just like what this restaurant serves. Gr8 atmosphere for an asian restaurant.

Had great service, very attentive. Food was fantastic and promptly served. One of our favorite local spots . Excellent wine selection

First experience at a Vietnamese restaurant! Great introduction. Food was excellent, atmosphere was energetic & fun, What we ate: Vegetarian Spring Rolls, Spicy Green Beans, & a deliciously fresh watermelon/feta salad were outstanding!!! Service was friendly, overall a great experience. Would absolutely come back and do it again next time I’m in Seattle!

All offerings are so good it makes it hard to decide. Meet friends and share Drunken chicken, Korean BBQ Ribs and more. Wait staff is superb. Make great suggestions, fab service, delightful company. They even recommended Seattle Chinese rest. when I was new to area. The kids (20+) give this place its atmosphere and attention to detail. Warm and friendly doesn't seem to be part of the restaurant deal anymore, but it is here. Save up your tip money here because this is where you want to share it.

First time here today for breakfast. The food was fantastic. All of it. The Crunchy Shrimp Wonton that looked like a mini cake with the hot sauce was Yumsters. Same for the Sticky Rice in banana leaves with pork. Great idea to eat it with the hot sauce also! Lastly had the pork & shrimp sausage. Didn't know what to expect, and Wam, it was Goooooood!

My family and I visited this restaurant on our final night in Seattle. We shared a few starters; pork spare ribs and some sort of crab roll (a special) and they were fantastic. There was a lot of choice on the menu and after much deliberation I ended up choosing the caramelised idaho catfish after reading a recommendation on trip advisor. It was a superb dish, and very different to anything I'd ever had before. The service was great and the atmosphere of the restaurant was good.

Not quite the best place for vegetarian food, but we were well taken care of by the chef modifying the menu to accommodate us. We like the ambiance and our friends enjoyed the non-vegetarian choices. We plan to go there again.

This Vietnamese place is one of the best places to remember Seattle for. Casual sitting but the setting is very decent. Families and large groups get adjusted - however prior appointments are recommended. Be ready with their welcome hot towels and then the dream journey starts. The appetizer star is imperial rolls - both in vegetarian and pork, which you very uniquely roll in lettuce leaves and eat. Then hugely recommended are drunken chicken - one of the best you will ever find - tender and juicy. Another heavenly delight is their pork ribs- which are best with their special marination and soft supple taste, it just melts in your mouth. Had lamb and cat fish with noodles and fried rice for the main course. it was all so good... dont miss this experience.

My husband and I got a couple dishes take away while our kids ate boring food. The prawn dish and fresh spring rolls were really great. Annoyed that you have to buy rice separately.

Very good service and many creative options on the menu. We enjoyed the Wild Boar Yellow Curry, pork spare ribs, catfish clay pot, and green papaya salad—easy enough to share. The lounge was a bit crowded, but the ambient noise was tolerable.

This place is strong on every index: good service, excellent appetizers, entrees and desserts. All very creative, very fresh, and very tasty. The catfish hot pot and squid appetizer highly recommended.

We recently visited Monsoon, and wondered why we had waited so long. Of the four dishes we had, 3 were wonderful (drunken chicken, Willamette lamb, ling cod) and the other was good if not special (green beans). The drinks were good, the desert was good and the service was superb. This little restaurant is intimate yet lively, and the food is fresh, subtle and local in origin. There are lots of interesting things on the menu, including: flat iron steak with noodles, claypot chicken, pan seared scallops, etc. (all with Vietnamese names, sauces and spices). Worth a special trip.

The host at our bed and breakfast recommended this place. We loved it. The service was outstanding. Our meal was exceptional. Meals are shared. We had mussels in coconut milk, roll platter and the entree was tofu with mushrooms. Every dish was wonderful. All were exceptionally flavorful and beautifully presented. The setting was intimate and the decor beautiful. We highly recommend this restaurant. Price is slightly more than medium but it is well worth the price.

We had a ton of great food on our trip, but this was my favorite of them all. We stayed within walking distance at the Foxglove Guesthouse (also recommended) and a fellow guest there recommended Monsoon. Wow it was good. We had the beef cubes (not the actual name) and the catfish pot. Both were great. Watch out for the peppers in the catfish pot, one was very hot. Service was also great. Get a reservation.

We visited on a Saturday afternoon for a late lunch thinking food service ran continuously all day, which it does not. However, we rolled in shortly before 3PM which is when the brunch and lunch service conclude. We were oh so lucky. First of all, although they asked us to make our food selections quickly since the kitchen closed shortly to prepare for dinner service, and happy hour (which begins at 3:30 daily) they were not rude about it and made us feel very welcome. We ordered two items to share, the Pho Bo and the Drunken Chicken. It was our first experience eating Pho and while it was obviously well prepared with high quality ingredients and was flavorful, it was not quite to our liking, but this is a personal preference rather than a restaurant issue. The Drunken Chicken however, it hit our palate's sweet spot and was beyond delicious. This is not the dish you order if you are counting calories, but instead one to be enjoyed as a special treat, and enjoy we did. The service was warm and friendly, the atmosphere relaxing. We found the prices to be quite reasonable for portions served. This restaurant is one of three by this restauranteur including Seven Beef, which we also have visited. Nicely done.

My husband and I went here the last night of our vacation and the food was delicious. We started with the Dungeness crab rolls. They were great but beware they are crispy although the menu doesn’t say that as it does for some of the other crispy rolls. We were looking for a fresh roll so we would have likely ordered another appetizer. For the main course we shared the scallops and prawn curry dishes and both were excellent!

It's hard to admit.... But, I'm not really a big fan of Asian, Pan-Asian, or Asian-American cuisine. I've been luck enough to go to China twice and Japan once--so I've tried. Never been impressed....., 'til now. This is not just the best restaurant in an Asian tradition I've ever eaten in, but perhaps one of the dozen or so best restaurants I've eat in in the past ten years.

Came to this restaurant thanks to an invite by longtime friend Julie. Understated decor but fabulous food in Vietnamese style. This place caters part of the food offerings for our early registration night for our yearly medical meetings. This nights' visit was sponsored by one of the pharmaceutical companies for a talk on PrEP. The appetizers were delicious and included Crispy Imperial Rolls, fresh Spring Rolls, wrapped flank steak bits and lamb bites with roasted garlic and peppers. The wine was flowing freely needless to say. For the main meal, a crisp vegetable slaw with sauteed shrimp, curried soup with veggies and shrimp, grilled rib-eye and mushrooms, grilled tofu, pan-seared scallops with rice cake, sesame chicken, and a host of small bowls folled with light delicious sauces. Dessert was banana coconut cubes and a deeply chocolate ganache with white chocolate and caramel sauce. The coffee was typically bold and satisfying. The waitstaff and chefs did a fine job of keeping the food coming at just the right pace throughout the evening while we listened to the presentation. If ever back in Seattle proper, I would like to return to this establishment. Very nice.

This was one of my favorite meals I had in Seattle. It’s a small Vietnamese restaurant so I would recommend making a reservation in advance. You have to order dungeness crab roll, caramelized idaho catfish claypot, green beans, and wild chanterelle mushrooms. Everything was so delish! The desserts looked amazing too, we just had no room.

Just to clarify, I visited the Monsoon East location - so I will comment on food only and not location or decor. The food was superb, great quality and so flavorful. The claypot catfish was perfect - caramelized onion goodness, fish that melts in your mouth. Just like what I had when I visited the coastal town of Nha Trang in Vietnam a few years ago. You can easily find less expensive, less pretentious VIetnamese food in Seattle and Bellevue. However, the options that this menu offers and quality of the food should not be overlooked!

We were delighted with the excellent food and friendly service--nicely appointed dining room, too. Chic. They take the extra steps to serve food that is well about average in taste and presentation. Don't miss it!

My husband and I are regulars at Monsoon on Capital Hill in Seattle. It’s a locally owned Vietnamese restaurant with incredible, flavorful food with a neighborhood vibe. The owners also own BaBar on 12th Avenue across from Seattle U and a second BaBar location in the University Village. There is a Monsoon in Bellevue as well. We typically don’t go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day because restaurants tend to be over crowded and overpriced, many with price fixe menus. We were delighted to be able to walk into Monsoon and order off the menu. The service is always friendly and well paced. Given that it was Ash Wednesday we were ordering fish and they had several great options including black cod; scallops and prawns. They also have many vegetarian options. So nice to have a favorite and consistently good restaurant walking distance from home.

Ordered Papaya Salad, Beet Salad, Imperial Rolls, Drunken Chicken, Teres Major, Eggplant, Bok Choy, Green Beans and Large Jasmine. Everything was very flavorful and well done. Total bill was $157.99 so a little pricey but worth it.

My family of six dined during here during our first visit to Seattle. It has a very romantic feel on a tree lined street. The Vietnamese food was superb, and the service excellent!

First place my local friend recommended, so I reserved a month in advance! So happy I did! Drinks are imaginative, I loved the Break a leg. Fir starters we had the spare pork ribs in hoisin bbq sauce. Enough for an Entree! The green papaya salad with grilled prawns. So fresh and excellent! The prawn curry was lick the plate worthy! The service is attentive but not overbearing. If i lived locally i would be here often. Highly recommend.

The ambience is a definite plus.. upbeat, great music, very modern decor, concrete floors and wall. Interesting touches, like the yellow vases of yellow kangaroo paw, serving as a divider on a shared table, the fishing trap suspended over the pink tiled backdrop of the bar. And then to the food. Divine imperial crispy pork rolls to wrap in lettuce leaves and coat with a light sweetish sauce, and pickled vegetables. The pork ribs were lip smacking, as our warm wet towels provided with this dish will testify.It was a warm evening and we had a seat at an open window, so we could watch the passing parade. Rh's prawn and peanut curry was easily the best we've ever tried.. My pork shoulder very good too, but once again, I prefered his! He also chose the lychee cream and mango icecream.strong and vibrant and smooth. A top meal which will remain memorable for us long after we leave Seattle.

Thoroughly enjoyed seated outside on a beautiful Seattle day, with numerous choices on the Monsoon menu. And they really excel in every respect. My friend and I split the Drunken Chicken (all portions are very sizable and easy to split for 2 persons, perhaps even 3). We added an amazing Sweet Corn dish and Spicy (truly spicy) green beans, steamed perfectly. I can't wait to go back and enjoy other items on this unique menu.

My wife is celiac and the young women serving us was not very accommodating when explaining and helping out. Other people brought our food and when our mains were served we received our sweet corn when we were have way finished our black cod and rice. Someone other than our server just dropped the sweet corn on the table. I felt like we were bothering them. Overall the food was good but the service from our server was very poor.

Negative:The waiter was pretty uninformative about menu, totally clueless about the wine list, and worse. More about him later. Food was generally excellent. Starters: The watermelon salad is sublime- not to be missed! The vegetarian fresh roles, on the other hand, were rather bland, better to be found multiple places around town. To spread out the dinner, we chose to have one main plate and one vegetable for the second, planning to order a third based on hunger, etc. after finishing the 2nd. Got scallops and a mixture of corn and mushrooms. Both plates were superb, with wonderfully balanced use of Vietnamese spices creating sauces. Back to the waiter: in addition to not being useful in ordering, he poured way too much wine in the wine glasses- trying to empty the bottle in the hopes of selling another? His unforgivable sin, however, was in charging past the table and sweeping up (without a by-your-leave)a serving dish still filled with the unusually delicious sauce of the scallop plate. He charged off ignoring my cries, and my wife ran after him to retrieve the plate which we certainly intended to thoroughly clean. He made no apologies. After that we decided to skip the planned next course and leave. Won't be back, even though the food was good, but the experience was not. Back to th

We ate late on a Thursday evening; We did not have a reservation, but had we been earlier, it would have been necessary. We enjoyed a calamari appetizer and soup (a little spicy but not prohibitive) followed by calamari, eggplant, cauliflower and shrimp curry (fabulous)! Service was attentive and not intrusive and the meal was well paced. The restaurant is small and appeared to be popular with the locals, so I do strongly recommend reservations.