St. Clouds

This is a good neighborhood joint. Food is Northwest with good flavors. I've enjoyed the Salmon, Burgers, etc... Good vegetarian choices and kid friendly more

We've been going to St. Clouds for 4 years now, on a regular basis. It's not fancy or fluffy, or all that trendy, but it is dearly beloved by all who know it for its great food and even better atmosphere. We discovered it after we had our LAST far-too-kid-friendly meal at the Madrona Ale House across the street. We were looking for a good place to eat out with our daughter that didn't feel like Romper Room. The food and service at St. Clouds are both excellent. (Buckets of quiet toys for to play with.) While not the trendy Haute Cuisine of other Seattle hot spots, the food is more like what you'd get if you were lucky enough to have a fabulous and innovative cook in your family. And the service is the same way - attentive, but not fussy, friendly, but not overbearing. There is no place we would rather eat, ever. And as much as we love dinner there, breakfast is even better. But whenever you go, don't miss the ice-cream with homemade fudge sauce. (Yes, it's a perfectly suitable breakfast.) A tad pricey sometimes, but worth it. And although the basics stay the same, the menu changes often enough that you don't get bored. NOTE - the map here in JB is wrong! St. Clouds is in the main commercial strip of the Madrona neighborhood. more

While I wouldn't call it a destination place, St. Clouds is just a few blocks from my house and for the Madrona neighborhood place provides a great place to have everyday meals without cooking yourself. They have two sides of the menu "at home" and "out to dinner" that provide different styles of experience and enough variety for regular visits. more

Just walking into St. Cloud you feel like you're entered your Grannie's kitchen -albeit a very stylish Granny. The aroma of biscuits and sweet jam kiss you on the cheek while the very friendly staff leads you to a table. Everything - and I do mean everything as I have sampled it - is delicious on the menu. It takes a little bit to get to your table, since this a larger restaurant and they make everything fresh. But, let me tell you, when the Huevos Rancheros (my personal favorite) arrive at your doorstep, you'll thank me for bringing you here. Yummmmm. It's not too overwhelming, not to skimpy, not too spicy....Just right. Just like Granny use to make. Biscuits and gravy is divine as well. Homemade flaky buttery biscuits that melt in your mouth and just soak up the sausage (or veggie soysauge) gravy. There are always fresh flowers adorning every nook and cranny and smiles abounding everyone in the place. Honestly, it's out a storybook. I can't imagine why I haven't gone here for other meals, but judging be breakfast, I'll bet dinner is homey and yummy too!! more

St. Clouds has terrific breakfasts, including my fave per subject line. The atmosphere is airy and comfortable. They are happy to accomodate a largish party (you can call ahead and arrange for your group to have space). I understand the lunch and dinner and later evening hours are all great here, and I keep meaning to try. The name may seem familiar to you fans of literary fiction-- it is named after the orphanage in John Irving's Ciderhouse Rules. more

Weekend Brunch around Capital Hill can be quite frustrating. So many times I have wanted, spur of the moment, to have a late morning brunch with friend. Nothing kills my lazy Sunday mood more than driving to Glo's and being told the wait is better than a half hour. Then to the Coastal Kitchen only to be told the same thing. Usually at this point its off to Pho So 1, but if I Just have to have a traditional breakfast I have not been let down by St. Clouds in Madronna. Yes, occasionally there is a wait, but not as long as others. They do good versions of all the breakfast standards:French Toast, Pancakes, Omelets, Corned Beef Hash, Country Fried Steak and Eggs. My personal favorite is the imperial scramble, which is basically fried rice with a bit of ginger, and a lot of scrambled eggs and sausage. It makes a surprisingly satisfying breakfast. The coffee cake can be a bit dry, but other than that I have liked everything I have eaten there.The service is good and the staff is very friendly. In the summer they have outdoor seating. more

John and Paul have been doing a great job here for a bunch of years now. This isn't a fancy place, but they really care and everything is made right there. And the most friendly staff in the world. The best thing about the menu is that it has the "at home family cooking" and the "out on the town" menu items. So you can great the roasted chicken. Which is incidentally probably the best chicken I ever have. They manage to make the inside tender and outside super delicious. Even my parents who don't like anything except Chinese food love the place and eat the entire gigantic chicken. The other favorites are surprisingly enough the Mac n'Cheese. This ain't the Kraft variety, it is all made from scratch, fresh cheese in the skillet, the works. I actually usualy trade with the kids because I love the Mac N Cheese so much. Since John and Paul went to Italy, they normally have a fresh home made pasta appetizer. If I'm not jonesing the Mac, then I'm taking the appy as a main course. The ravioli for instance is great. Finally, the best part is their ice cream sundae, they get their ice cream from Mountain something or other that only sells to restaurants, as sundae experts, I have to tell you it is just awesome. You can ask John to buy aj 10 gallon container worth if you want. Finally, they make their own fudge which is amazing. Final point is that this is a neighborhood place. Over six years, we've gotten to know everyone from Shannon to the entire kitchen staff. That is easy since the kitchen is open and you can belly up and see what they are doing. Last thing is they do a meal for charity on the third Wednesday of every month. You show up in the afternoon and help make a great meal from donated foods. This ain't white bread and gravy, but really great food. You can poor and still want to eat well. I agree! more

Tucked away in Madrona, St. Clouds offers an eclectic menu of choices. The basic baked chicken dinner is delicious, but you can also find much more adventurous choices on the menu. Breakfast is served as well - a great alternative to the packed Hi-Spot a few doors down. There is often live music and sometimes outdoor seating in the lawn. more