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Green star Bilbao Tapas Bar (University District)

4500 Ninth Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 547-5034
Website

Categories: Restaurant

Restaurant Details

  • Bilbao is in the same building that houses the Metro Cinemas (formerly home to the miserable Stella's). It's cozy, humbly lit, and full of warmth and color, with paintings of enormous red poppies. The tapas-style menu is perfect for a speedy bite before (or after) a film, but diners also happily lounge for hours. The dishes are simple and traditional, the spicing unpretentious and straightforward—but the ingredients are treated so beautifully that the whole of each dish is far greater than the sum of its parts.
  • Features: Bar/Happy Hour, Cheap Eats and Late-Night Dining
  • Cuisine: Spanish and Vegetarian

The Stranger's Reviews of Bilbao Tapas Bar

 
 

Average Rating:
  • 4.46000/5 Stars.
Reviews/Comments (14) RSS

Newest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a review of Bilbao Tapas Bar
levide 14
I'm staggered by the good reviews here for this place, and would completely agree with @9, except that he's far too generously forgiving. Hands down the worst meal I can remember having, and reasonably priced??? REASONABLY FUCKING PRICED?? $25 pasta plate with overcooked pasta, stiff dessicated squid and mussels that tasted like a rubber band in vinegar? REASONABLE? Sorry, there's no fucking excuse for shit this bad. Yes, the owner was very friendly, and yes the service was quick and accomodating. But a friendly, accomodating scam-artist is still a scam-artist.

Started with the boquerones, which were presented nicely but off-putting. They tasted heavy and excessively fishy when they should have been bright and clean. The stuffed seafood peppers were maybe okay but we couldn't tell as they were drowned in about three inches of congealed yellow muck (supposedly saffron-cream sauce, but more like something found in a diaper). The blood sausage was actually ok, but only ok, nothing whatever to recommend, but stood out for being, you know, edible. I ordered the grilled octopus, but if that's what I was served I'd be very surprised, unless the menu specified week old octopus and I just missed that in the description. The aforementioned pasta plate was goddamned criminal for the price ($25 could feed better pasta for two for a week, with some actually fresh seafood thrown in). The whole experience was positively revolting, we ate a total of about two bites of each plate and fled. Off day? Possibly, but passing that shit off as good seafood (especially when the amazing Village Sushi is a block away) simply cannot stand. It's astonishing what people here will tolerate.
Posted by levide on May 5, 2009 at 7:13 PM · Report
13

The most real things it is only guy here, that work and have restaurant in Spain, and also in Bilbao, The name La costilla del Buey. frech food grandmather style no sofisticate but very real food, very authentique food fron Euskalerria
Posted by Ainhoa euskaleria on January 16, 2009 at 1:06 PM · Report
12

Not good quality Spanish food (take it from a real Basque)

As a "for real" authentic Basque living in Seattle, I must say that this restaurant is neither Basque nor authentic. To begin with, none of the dishes are specific to the Basque Country. The food is not the only thing that is not Basque, the owner isn't either and he does not speak Basque as the article states. Flamenco is typical of the South of the Spain, which is culturally in the antipodes of the Basque Country. Finally, the food is extremely greasy and substandard if compared to food in decent restaurants of Spain.

I'm surprised to read that the critic liked the pulpo. Are you kidding me? The pulpo I tasted here was the chewiest thing I have ever eaten. All I wanted to say was that this is nothing like what you could expect to eat at a decent restaurant in the Basque Country.
Posted by Aitor on December 18, 2008 at 12:42 PM · Report
11

Noelle

It seems that Mr. Poe may not even be reviewing this restaurant. Guinness and white asparagus? Where was he eating?

Bilbao is fantastic. My boyfriend's favorite restaurant in the city is Harvest Vine, but unfortunately our wallets demand that we only go on very special occasions. Thus we were very happy when we discovered Bilbao. It's quite different obviously, but the food fills the exact same craving for far less money.

Great for large groups, they'll readily split the bill for you and the tapas are ideal for sharing (and ordering more of whatever goes the fastest). The space is magical. At first you will think "giant red poppies on the wall, that's pretty tacky, no?" But after a few glasses of wine you will surely fall in love with those poppies.
Posted by Noelle on December 17, 2008 at 8:27 PM · Report
10

Delicious food and fabulous service

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. Juan is so friendly and welcoming, the food is excellent, the waitstaff is attentive, and the atmosphere is cheerful. I have enjoyed the flamenco performances on Thursdays. I recommend it highly
Posted by FHP on December 17, 2008 at 7:41 PM · Report
9

Horrible. Terrible. Just plain awful. I am right, you are wrong.

Ordered a Guinness that tasted like fucking soap.

Ordered some mussels that tasted like butthole. (If they were trying to capture the sensational mouth-watering flavor of a raw mussel cooked by the sun on a humid day, they nailed it.)

Topped the meal off with the "seared snapper," which was nice save the soggy, cold, bitter white asparagus. Tasted like poverty.

When I finished the snapper, I wondered why anyone would ever dine here on a regular basis. The place was considerably full. Now that I'm here, I can't believe all of these positive reviews. My meal should've complimented me with a bucket and scoop for hurling the Snapper to eat it again, like cud, which is what everything else tasted like. Had they supplied me with said bucket and scoop, I might have had a better time.

It's pretty bogus that I have to give this shit factory at least 1 star. I can give it 1 word: Shit.
Posted by Mr. Poe on October 30, 2008 at 11:31 AM · Report
8

Sangrias anyone!

The best place in all of Western Washington for sangrias! The lamb chops are absolutely the best in town, the service is impeccable, and the prices are more than reasonable. Not a better place to relax than Bilboa!
Posted by Stephanie on August 5, 2008 at 4:15 PM · Report
7

Unbelievably great!

I ate at Bilbao this evening on the strength of the reviews here and was duly impressed. Everything we had was incredibly savory and showed the restraint of Spanish cuisine - it has tons of flavor without hitting you over the head with spices. One of my favorite meals I've had this year - I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a change of pace. Prices were really reasonable, too.
Posted by Seattle Native on June 30, 2008 at 9:04 PM · Report
6

Yum!

Everything we ordered (a massive selection of tapas) was fabulous. The $6 glass of sangria was quite possibly the largest glass of wine I've ever been served. There was excellent live guitar and the check was delivered expeditiously (I'm guessing they're good at that what with people running off to movies and stuff). In short... awesome! Yay Bilbao! (the ensalada de bilbao and patatas bravas were crazy good. oh my god, i just remembered the aioli. i think i need to go back now.)
Posted by leek on March 17, 2008 at 10:10 AM · Report
5

Great Sangria and tapas

Bilbao is one my favorite restaurants now. Juan, the owner, make you feel at home. The paella, the tapas and the sangria are super. I definetively will recommend it. Latin Entertainment Guide
Posted by Latin Entertainment Guide on January 4, 2008 at 11:30 AM · Report
4

Wonderful in every way

Gracious hosts, wonderful ambience, and fantastic, reasonably priced tapas. Definitely check it out before or after your next movie at the Metro Cinemas.
Posted by Lisa on October 5, 2007 at 2:51 PM · Report
3

Flamenco

We went on Thursday night specifically to see Trio Andalibra, the Flamenco group who perform on Thursday nights. They are fabulous! Imagine Spanish Flamenco right here in Seattle. My friend thought he was back in Barcelona. I thought it was the best dinner theatre in town. The tapas are great and the wait staff is friendly, plus they have a great Spanish wine list. All in all a wonderful evening and well worth the drive from North Everett.
Posted by Joy and Jason on August 24, 2007 at 8:32 AM · Report
2

Great find

We only went to this restaurant because it was right next door to the Metro and it was late when our movie let out. But it turned out to be a wonderful discovery. Nice atmosphere, friendly and helpful waiter and excellant Spanish tapas. We look forward to going back.
Posted by Happy customer on August 19, 2007 at 11:33 PM · Report
1

Authentic, warm and tasty!

Loved this restaurant, the atmosphere and service was great along with the food. Very animated owner and the restaurant itself is beautiful and very colorful, you definately forget about the grey outside...Love it and recommend to all who love good tapas.
Posted by Only the best. on August 9, 2007 at 9:17 AM · Report

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