UPDATE: This place is closed. Sorry!

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Luigi's Grotto (Pioneer Square)

102 Cherry St
Seattle, Washington 98104
(206) 343-9517

Categories: Bar, Restaurant

Restaurant Details

  • Here you get Mediterranean cuisine in a subterranean location. It's a pleasure to meet Luigi himself in the restaurant and the interior is richly, tastefully decorated. The appetizers are hard to resist and it's only after the bill arrives that you may regret your appetite.
  • Features: Bar/Happy Hour, Family Friendly (nice to babies), If Your Parents Are Paying, Reservations Required and Romantic
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Serving Hours: Open Wed-Fri 11:30 am till Luigi decides to close. Open at 5:30 pm on other evenings till Luigi decides to close.

Bar Details

  • Located in the old Undergound, this cozy Italian joint is classy and kitschy. The windowless, subterranean rooms--exposed brick, candlelight, distressed cement floors--give this place plenty of Mob-hideaway/social-club appeal, and there's no shortage of endearing knickknacks... sort of shabby chic meets Goodfellas. Luigi (who also owns pasta joint Cafe Bengodi next door) works the room himself with relentless energy.
  • Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-3 pm and 4 pm-10 pm; Sat 4 pm-10 pm; Sun 4 pm-9 pm.
  • Features: Full Menu, Good for Groups, Romantic and Outdoor Seating

The Stranger's Reviews of Luigi's Grotto

 
 

Average Rating:
  • 2.25000/5 Stars.
Reviews/Comments (4) RSS

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4

name changing result of poor quality

Inconsistent service and bad reviews as a result is the reason for continuing changing of the restaurants' name. Way to much garlic on all dishes. Not very tastfull at all. High pricing too. American guests that take a cooking lesson get drunk and shout so loud that they disturb all guests.. when I complained to the waitress (Luidi's daughter), she said: "off course they are drunk.." Luigi is nice, but spend too long (>30 years)in America to remember how Italian chefs cook; a real shame. Disgraceful.
Posted by Italian traveller on March 22, 2009 at 9:12 PM · Report
3

Ripoff.

We arrived at Luigi’s Grotto for lunch with friends from out of town. As this was their first time in Seattle, we thought we’d take them for some authentic Italian. Atmosphere was good at best. The waiter (Luigi?) seated us and drink order. He returned with sodas (cans), a single ounce of substandard wine (watered down), and one beer. We were asked if we had any dietary restrictions (vegetarians, carnivores, and vegan). We waited for menus. Instead we got parmesan bread. Then salad. We continued to wait for menus. Luigi appears again with a platter of perciatelli with vegetables and a 5” pizza. No meat for our carnivore friends, no choice of entrée. The pasta was flavorless; the broccoli (woody unpalatable stem chunks) was undercooked; the zucchini and eggplant were overcooked, and the tomato pieces tasted canned. We all sensed that we were being served leftovers. Given the size of the pizza we questioned why it was given to us at all. I tried several more times to flag down “Luigi” to inquire about the cost, but he was too "busy" (we were the only customers). Then ice cream (vegan?) and the bill. $196.00 ($28 per person!) for food that was far from fresh or original. “Luigi” was thoughtful enough to calculate in a 20% tip for himself. Total bill: $237 for LUNCH. Poor service and food my Sicilian grandfather would have been ashamed of.
Posted by GrumpyOldBastard on August 22, 2008 at 7:56 PM · Report
2

great food

We go there quite often and even if it is a quick bite or a "dining experience" is is always great. It is where you can go and eat without a menu. Cooking classes are something that is not tot be missed! Wild,informative and yummy
Posted by Angela on December 11, 2007 at 6:39 PM · Report
1

inconsistant

Something has changed. We used to go in and say "Luigi, make us something for $40 each" (or whatever our price range was) and we always got something wonderful paired with great wine. Lately we go in and the food is awful, the special dishes he makes are uninspired and we wish we had eaten at The Spaghetti Factory because the food would be better. It used to be my favorite restaurant but since I have left twice without being able to eat the food, I am very dissapointed
Posted by juanita on July 17, 2007 at 2:05 PM · Report

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