Via Verde Grill

I wish I would have read reviews before ordering take out. The pasta was the worst I had ever had. It had no flavor, undercooked bacon, and watery sauce. The mozzeralla sticks I had gotten for my daughter tasted like frozen chicken nuggets you can find in your local grocery store (the really cheap brand). A big waste of $23.00. more

My family went to Via Verde for our Valentines dinner. Our waiter was the rudest, most patronizing waiter I had ever had the unfortunate opportunity to meet. It was almost like we were bothering him by coming into his restaurant let alone sitting in his section! My daughter ordered the steak...medium well...it came AFTER we had finished the other entrees and when it finally did arrive, it was BLUE RARE! Cold in the center...not edible. When we finally got his attention to send it back, he had the audacity to still charge us for it! The other entrees were adequate at best and the ambience quite nice...but we will never return due to our terrible service!!! Pros: location Cons: service!!! more

Their entire menu is delicious and unique, featuring non-traditional touches like marinated bell peppers on the house salad. (Which is one of the best salads I've ever had.) Their pizzas are made with flavorful sauces, and are cooked to perfection. Personally, however, I tend to prefer the pastas, which are always made with creativity and skill. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the prices are very reasonable. Given its convenient location on market street in downtown Ballard, this has become one of my favorite places to have dinner. Pros: Great food, reasonable prices, outdoor seating during summer more

My daughter & I had dinner at Via Verde for the first time last night. We had excellent service and great food. I had the house salad, which was loaded with veggies & olives and the chicken wings were very meaty. My daughter had a pizza. The crust was perfect. Crusty & flakey, like we were eating a pizza pie. I think they did a great job of redecorating the old Market Street Grill. more

Well Market Street is gone. Thanks for all your support through our eight years. For those who supported us when we were great, and those who told us when we were not, we can't thank you enough for your honesty and support. For those who didn't have the guts to tell to our face when we didn't meet your expectations, SHAME ON YOU!!!!! You are nothing more than cyber cowards!!!! more

I have been here a few times. But not recently. I understand that the restaurant is under new management. While the atmosphere was pleasant, the food was.....Not. I really felt that my friend and I were dismissed as customers because we chose beer over wine with our dinner. It was a friday night and the place was pretty empty. We started with a shared salad that was eally quite lovely. But I was really disapointed with my entree. My roasted chicken appeared to have been boiled. The skin was a pasty white and the dish somewhat flavorless. It was ok but definitely not worth the $20 price. My companion's pork dish was lovely. Back to the service, I really fely that had we ordered wine and perhaps not shared a starter that we would have garnered more attention. While our meal was passable, I feel that I spent too much on a dinner that could have been better. I most likely will not be back. more

My date and I visited Market Street Grill for the first time on a quiet Tuesday night around 7. We were one of the only couples in the place, and accordingly service was fine, though perfunctory. The food, however, proved disappointing, especially considering the prices. A "Scallop Two Ways" appetizer offered a tasty sashimi preparation and a slightly mushy piece of tempura with a heavy sauce--not an inspired way to prepare a scallop. Sadly, this dish was the highlight. Wild boar was nicely cooked but dull. The lamb was a cut that apparently should never be prepared in the manner it was. Fatty, sinewy, and chewy, the thick pieces required sawing with a steak knife. The nearest equivalent would be a quickly grilled London broil -- not a good idea. To conclude we ordered a chocolate hazelnut tart which appeared to come straight from a Marie Calendar's box. It was cold, the crust looked premade and was hard as rock, the filling tasted like instant pudding. This dessert was $8. Our entrees were each over $20. We don't mind spending money for quality food, but nothing we ate this night came close to rising to fine dining standards. Maybe we just came on an off night? Ordered the wrong things? We won't be returning to find out. Pros: Nice ambience Cons: Overpriced, poorly executed food more

I have been to the Market Street Grill twice in as many months. Both evenings were Saturdays and I ate at the bar both times. The food was fantastic, perfect drinks from the personable bartender, and the general ambiance was just great. The first time I was there I just ate off the bar menu, which was better than most. I had the pate and the bar steak (cooked a perfect mid-rare). The second time I ate off the dinner menu, I had the sausage, although it is not called that it is something else. Best sausage I have ever had. I did not eat dessert but they all looked good. All in all, my favorite restaurant in Ballard. Everybody should go and enjoy the Market Street Grill. I will definately go back. more

I cannot tell you all how truly exceptional my last two dining experiences at Market Street have been. The service and ambiance are just fine, good in fact, but the food....the food...WOW!!! I was shocked at the quality of the food my friends and I had last month. There were four of us and we had apps and entrees and all of the dishes were superb, truly superb. I can't go into all the items as we did a good job of snacking up a good third of the menu but three dishes come to mind. The Fois Gras Brule, the Duck Tart and the Rib Eye. YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am running a bit long here so I will end by just letting you all know that the food at Market Street is some of the best in the city. My favorite restaurants in Seattle are Cafe Juanita, Monsoon, Crush, Lark, Union and now...Market Street Grill. You all simply must give it a looksy if you are as into food and wine as I am...oh yea, great old world wines on the list as well. FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! Pros: Amazing Food, Tons of Parking, Great friendly service Cons: I was too full to order the dozen or so other items I wanted to try!!! more

Unmemorable food for above average prices. Thank god for the $25 special because the regular prices charged are definitely not worth it. In hindsight, I should have tried the roasted garlic soup of the day and the duck breast. The $7 baby arugula salad was small with a tiny dollop of roq cheese, a nice touch of sliced bosc pears and toasted nuts. The salad was unbalanced with less greens and cheese and a lot of nuts. The $26 main entree of 3 scallops with white beans and truffle was decent with carmelization on the scallops. The micro greens added on top did not belong, more like an afterthought for color and fancy presentation. Nothing stood out that justified a $26 entree. Ray's offers 5 scallops with artichoke and spinach for a few dollars more. The $7 lemon tart's pastry tasted like it was just thawed, not flaky, yet it took a very long time to serve. The service was mediocre at best and I was dining at 5:00pm. I would hate to see the scenario at peak time. Don't sit next to the window because you'll see flies buzzing around and wonder what the kitchen is like. I saw one enormous fly that seemed to have been around a long time. Overall, the name speaks for itself, a grilling restaurant with some high end ingredients that doesn't deliver in originality and doesn't justify the prices in an area surrounded by local shops. Pros: Complimentary bread with EVOO and balsamic vinegar Cons: Mediocre service, Overpriced and basic cuisine, Outsourced lemon tart more

I took a friend here for an after work dinner and was very pleased. Our server was great, not pretentious or in your face. The food was amazing, by far the best arugula salad I?ve had. My friend had the Steak with truffle oil fries which turned out to be both delicious and immense. I had the duck which put any duck I?ve eve made to shame. Deserts were presented well and they know how to do chocolate right, not too sweet and not too bitter. Highly recommended to anyone who wants great food and service without all the fuss. more

Fabulous food, warm and inviting atmosphere, service is friendly and attentive. Parking is easy (on the street or in lot behind the restaurant). Nice variety on the menu. I've been back several times and the food is consistently excellent. Pleasant bar if you just want to stop in for a drink and something casual. Try the Kobe beef burger - it's terrific! more

I hadn't been to Market Street in two years. Boy, what an amazing experience. First of all our server was incredible, I don't know her name but she knew so much about the food and the wine list it made our night a breeze. We started with the lamb empanadas in a creamy raita. We followed with a simple but elegant green salad that was dressed with a lemon vinaigrette and finished with pine nuts and roquefort-perfect! I had roasted halibut served with black-eyed peas, fennel and a piquillo pepper cream! Yum!! My date had the Sea Scallops with these unbelieveable white beans and a citrus brown butter. We shared the lemon goatcheese cheesecake for dessert, the creamiest ever. So good we made reservations for next week!! Pros: Great Service, Unreal Food, Romantic Cons: Off the map, to far fromm home more

Great place to sit at the bar and chat or bring guests and enjoy fine dining. Best burger in Seattle ! more

the food was fine but the value was not there. Pros: parking Cons: price more

I am a strict vegetarian, but my husband is not. We are always looking for restaurants we can both be happy with. I heard that I could get a good vegan meal at Market Street Grill so we gave it a try. It is a very nice restaurant, however the plate of mushy salty boiled vegtables that was put in front of me for $17 was about the same quality as you'd expect from a prison chow hall. It was artfully plated, but that did not make up for the poor quality. I got a couple of fingerling potatoes, boiled chard, boiled mushrooms, boiled leeks in a puddle of garlicy broth. Not only was it unsatisfying it had no nutritional value at all. I'd be lucky to get 100 calories from the small portions of vegtable I was given. Most of the caloric value was from fat. Yuck Yuck Yuck. Pros: Service , Wine Cons: Food more

WOW, We found Belltown in Ballard. This resturant is fantastic. We went on a recommedation from a friend and we've been back twice.We started at the bar, great cocktails/fair prices and then to our table. I had the lamb , my friends had the duck and the steak. The food will definitely wow you and so will the wine list- very broad with lots to choose from and very reasonably priced. Our server was quite knowlegable and very friendly-possibly the owner.We don't need to go downtown anymore. Pros: Great deal, FREE parking, terrific staff Cons: Too close to home more

I had heard good things about Market Street Grill but was definitely disappointed - the food was good, but nothing spectacular, and overpriced for what we got. My fish was just okay and my date's steak was very fatty. Our waiter seemed disinterested after we ordered pints of beer instead of wine. The presentation was very yuppy/simple (which I like) but the food wasn't WOW enough to compensate for the price or the service. Won't be going back anytime soon - many better places to eat in ballard with more character and better food. Pros: elegant, good bar, parking in back Cons: expensive, nothing special food more

It was a last minute decision but I needed a place where I could take out-of-town guests and I didn't want to chance not being able to get a table in downtown Seattle especially after the Seahawks had just beaten the Cowboys! All I can say is that there is no longer any reason to go downtown from North Seattle for fine dining. Market Street Grill is a find and the current reviews are spot on! The wine list is superb and the staff knows the nuances of each selection. My guests (my immediate superior and his wife from New York) were totally impressed with the food and wine and totally charmed by the ambiance. Finally, sophisticated dining in Ballard without having to pay downtown prices. Pros: Outstanding wine list, Superior food, great staff Cons: too close to home more

My parents found this place on Market Street and unfortunately I put off going there until I couldn't find a parking place in the restaurant core area of Ballard. The best thing that every happened, there's always parking, drinks are cheap, the wine selection is outstanding, the bar menu is available anytime, and the people who work there are universally polite and knowledgeable. The big hits(and great values) on the bar menu are the rock shrimp scampi, the turkey pate and the Kobe beef hamburger. I took my parents to the special dinner evening where a variety of French wines where paired to an awesome dinner menu. Can't wait till they do that again. The good news is that it's always easy to get a table but I can't imagine that's going to last for long. A truly stellar addition to the Ballard restaurant scene. Pros: Great parking, Great food, Great staff Cons: not enuf spec events, difficult to find more