Kingfish Cafe The

Used to love this place but food does't have the same flavor, it's overpriced and service isn't that great. I gave them three stars because it's not horrible but not the great place it used to be either. If you do have to go you can try the Red Velvet cake, Home Fries, Chick n Waffle. more

Came here w/ some friends for dinner. We didn't have to wait for a table (which in some ways was good) but I was disappointed in my fried chicken. It wasn't that good and the mashed potatoes on the side were so-so. Loved the yam fries though! more

I'd never had southern food before so i didn't know what to expect. i ordered the catfish entree -- i'd never had catfish so i wasn' tsure what to expect here either. I didn't love the fish but not because of how it was prepared but more of the taste of the fish itself. it was supposed to be served with grits but i defnitely know i don't like grits so i was able to swap with corn bread instead (DELICIOUS!). It was also served with collared greens -- i'd never had these greens before and can't say i loved them. I'm not entirely sure if this is considered a typical southern entree but the fried chicken tasted really good (i took a bite from my bf's dish) and the gumbo also looked delicious. I didn't save room for dessert unfortunately but when our neighbouring table received their Red Velvet cake it looked so good! It was a ginormous slice of cake topped with fresh whiped cream and a heap of strawberries. They let us take a good look at the dessert before they devoured it leaving us drooling. Next time. more

It's a nice southern style restaurant located in the neighborhoods of capital hill. The decor is rustic, dim inside and the service is quite good. I found the menues were bit limited, but the food tasted great. Ordered fried chicken and it was great. Friends ordered gumbo, catfish and we shared sweet potato fries. It was delicious. Overall, I would recommend people to stop by if you are feeling for southern comfort food. On a nice evening, take a stroll down the streets. There is Fuel Coffee next door and Monsoon across the street. Kingfish also has a rich set of dessert menu, and the portions are HUGE! more

Slightly hidden away in a quiet Capitol Hill neighborhood, The Kingfish Cafe is one of my top five Seattle restaurant favorites...for lunch AND dinner. There's just no way to fault the place, ambiance, food, staff, dessert, neighborhood...everything comes together for a perfect experience. The menu features more delights than I can mention here...Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Catfish Cakes, whoops...I said I couldn't mention them all. But suffice it to say that I have never eaten there without everyone at my table sharing bites and oohing and ahing over the experience. Their desserts will become legendary in Seattle some day, and rightly so. Shared a slice of their peach cake last night with our party of five and we couldn't finish it between us...though not for lack of trying. Oh, and the prices...entrées range in the mid to high teens for dinner—a little high for "cafe" prices but not overboard by any means. more

The Kingfish is one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle! The wait staff and bartenders are charming, and there's not a single item on the menu I haven't tried and haven't loved! It's THE place to go for appetizers and mojitos that they serve in mason jars. And while it's nearly impossible, save room for desert which is ENORMOUS and orgasmically good. more

Fried Chicken, Greens, Corn Bread, Cat Fish, is your mouth starting to water? If you love soul food, you'll love Kingfish Cafe. It's located in Madison, convenient for Seattlelites. The inside of the place is cute, clean, with warm lighting and brick walls. Very classic! The food was great. I had the Catfish and it was exceptional. It has a kick to it and was very tender. My favorite had to be the cornbread, that's the best I've ever had! It didn't taste sweet or heavy. The corn bread tasted very light and didn't have that heavy butter taste to it. The greens were a bit spicy, just the way I like it. Their fried chicken could be a bit crispier, but if you like the baked, healthier taste, it definitely gives you that impression! For dessert, we had the coconut cake. Beware, you should only order one, it's a really big slice of cake. We had 5 people, and we still couldn't finish the slice. more

Sandra and I simply love this place. The people are so kind, food is incredible - always - and comes in great portions. The only hard part is getting a seat...so show up early! The bartenders are always attentive and their drinks (even mocktails) are top of the line. Great place more

Dessert arrives. King Fish Cafe on Capital hill is one of my favorite Seattle restaurants. I give this the ultimate 5 star rating on quality of food, specialty of food, and ambiance. I have ordered the fried chicken every single time I've been. Lucky for me my friends tend to branch out so I've been able to sample a few other things but I've never strayed from that perfect fried chicken, collared greens and mashed potato combo. Other favorites if you really want to know are the mac and cheese and the gumbo. The caesar is great to start as well as the crabcakes. It's impossible to save room because the portions are so big but despite how you may be feeling after dinner, you must order dessert. These change seasonally but right now they have my absolute favorite which is the strawberry shortcake. It's important to note that desserts are monstrous. Not big. Huge. 1 Dessert is more than enough for 4 and easily could please 6. If you haven't been to Kingfish cafe, you must go. Note: they don't take reservations for parties less than 6 but recently I was able to call and get my name on the wait list via the phone. It's a good way to speed up the wait. more

Others can attest to the menu better than I, but as a vegetarian, this is not exactly the BEST place for dinner. That said, I had some really interesting spicy bean cake things...and I tried the mac and cheese, which was good too. I'd go again, but probably to take people who were visiting Seattle so I could prove we have other restaurants that don't serve northwest style food. more

The Kingfish cafe is a very unique dining experience for Seattle. With the majority of its menu being southern-inspired, the chef hits gold here. The catfish, as many other reviewers have stated already, is the prime-rib of this soul food joint. The accompanying grits, rice, beans etc evoke the spicy, heterogeneous flavors of the South. The decor fits the menu and the surrounding neighborhood is beautiful. After your meal, take a walk around Volunteer park to walk off the tasty, greasy meal. Enjoy! more

It isn't a dessert place per say, but my favorite desserts in town are at Kingfish. They have a shortcake that will make you high!. It is so big that it can easily serve a part of four. One unique touch is that they put a bit of maple syrup in the whip creme. It is amazing. They also serve mammoth slices of lemon cake, and bread pudding. The strawberry shortcake has to be the best dessert in town. Period. more

Went here with some friends a few weeks ago, and walked away very impressed. The cornbread, sides, and entrées were all great, plus they have a good wine list that pairs nicely with the southern food. Great decor and atmosphere. more

I was introduced to the Kingfish by my brother, who is friends with the head chef. He had told me about it for years, but I never got around to going. Now, I regret not having gone earlier, and won't get those years back. Every time I have been, the food has be delicious. He doesn't live far from there, so its a great opportunity to get some family time and a great southern meal all in one shot. On the weekends, it can get very busy, and in the summer, there is often a line outside. Believe me, it's worth the wait. more

My wife and I ate at the Kingfish Cafe for the first time in a long time last week. Still darn good down home cookin'. Red beans and rice were great. Catfish was good, and the grits that came with it even better. Had a piece of lemon cake for dessert that was big enough for 4 people and really tasty. Service was friendly and efficient. Atmosphere friendly and relaxed. more

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the Kingfish is the Catfish entrée - by far my favorite. It comes breaded in a cajun seasoning, and is perfectly cooked. Along that are greens and a side of "grits" (according to my Southern friend it is really polenta). Some other favs are the fried chicken: crispy, somewhat sweet and meaty. Sometimes the chef even gives you 3+ pieces, so you'll have plenty for left overs. Along side that are mashers, and I believe some collard greens. Don't forget the macaroni and cheese! This comes fresh from a dish, and is almost 3" tall. I believe it has many different kinds of cheeses, and I remember a bell pepper taste to it. Along with the excellent mac n cheese, you get a spectacular roll - seriously, don't under estimate it. OH! Desert - wow! You better be hungry, because the desert is huge! I could say it is about 2x the normal size of most places. Average selection though - a fruity pie of sorts, and something else. As far as location, the place is on 19th, which is away from most restaurants, but in this case is a good thing. There is parking generally found within a block or two. Once inside the place, a dark ambiance surrounds. It can be rather loud, but that is only because this place is generally hoppin'. Expect wait times of up to 30 minutes, although you can typically chill at the bar for a while. All in all, definitely worth visiting at least once! more

I agree with the above poster, the Kingfish has some of the best mac and cheese that I have ever tasted. Not the best, mind you, but pretty darned good. The service is stellar, the drinks are amazing and I have never had a sub-par experience there. The only problem is that they don't take reservations and have somewhat strange nights of closure (Sunday's and Tuesday's). Another great spot is The Alibi Room in The Market. They have a terrific tomato/basil mac and chesse which really sticks to your ribs. I love it. However, for the best mac and cheese plates on the planet, travel down to Portland for an evening and head to Bistro Montage under the Morrison Street Bridge in SE Portland. They specialize in no less than five types of mac and cheese not to mention the jambalay's and the frog leg and oyster shooter appetizers. Seriously, if you are really looking for an experience, what Seattle has for mac and cheese is fine, but take an overnight trip and head to Bistro Montage. You won't be dissapointed. more

This restaurant has a relaxed, intimate atmosphere, good food and a friendly wait staff. The mac and cheese at Kingfish, which contains a great deal more than macaroni and cheese, has a cult following among some of my friends. It's definitely less boring than many other mac n cheese dishes I've tasted. The desserts are delicious. Every item on the menu should be avoided by those on a weight loss diet. They do have one or two options for vegetarians. more

With a nice casual atmosphere this is a great spot to hit up for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Their prices are good and the food is pretty tasty. When I was there I had an oyster po' boy that was a perfect size. They had light music playing in the background and was enough to make me feel like I was in the south and not in rainy Seattle! more

Having never been to the south the Kingfish Cafe's offerings were a bit exotic to me at first. The food is excellent! The atmosphere is even better!! Hang out there for a drink, some crab cakes, the awesome mac n chees, fried chicken, or as my friends and I have been known to do, drop in for a piece of heavenly, devilishly good cake, but beware sometimes it's a challenge for three to conquer!! more