The Parlor

A few friends and I went to check out the so called hot spot in Bellevue last Saturday and were let down immensely. This place was overpriced and we knew we were in Bellevue when we walked in. The door man made a comment about my 300$ jeans, sorry they do fit in at your place fashion police. Once we all got in the service was the slowest you could possibly imagine. Such a large bar and such a long line, get some more bartenders people. It just topped off the night to see your mini bar in back look like total chaos, I have been in many bars before but that one was a joke. It looked like a bunch of zoo animals turning in circles looking for food. I recommend EVERYONE can find a drink somewhere else not worth the wait. Pros: Thumbs down service and under staffed more

For me, this is a great place to visit on a Saturday morning (to work on my pool-shooting skills) as it's peaceful & quiet at that time, uncrowded, has good 9' tables, great background music, great food, and courteous servers & staff. The 9' tables are the most "realistic" for me (yes, I've also visited Dave's place in Kenmore on several occasions), and the atmosphere is such that four or five hours can easily go by before I realize that it's now late afternoon. I've visited this establishment on several occasions, both day and night, and never had a bad experience. I don't wear caps or torn jeans, so for me at least, the Dress Code hasn't been a problem. Their location is perfect for me as I live nearby, parking is free (remember... we're talking about downtown Bellevue), and their menu satisfies all my cravings. Although a few reviewers may comment on their prices, the fact is, if you want dive-bar prices, then go to a dive-bar. The quality & atmosphere of this place is what it's all about for me. What more can I say? You've just gotta check this place out! more

As a girl, I had it in my mind that this place was guy-oriented. After discovering Girls Night Out each Weds, ?boy? was I wrong. Each Wednesday night there are drink specials ($4 cosmos!) and some really fun contests. Even though I?m not much of a pool player, Ladies Night has this contest called the Vixen Gauntlet featuring expert female players who are part of The Parlor and they make it tough for the ladies to lose, but it?s a great way to meet guys since they mix it up like a battle of the sexes. Think of speed dating meets pool meets some fierce women pool competition and voila, the Gauntlet. Of course, there?s DJ music in the Ultralounge if you just have to dance. I did not enter their "hot shoes contest? they were conducting but it looked fun seeing the girls on the catwalk in the Ultralounge. I?ll be back with more of my girls next week. Pros: Safe enviroment, great food & drinks, Great place to meet people. more

I had a small wedding reception for 40 in the Shain Room because I wanted something fun and memorable. We were able to book one of the Parlor?s staff to bartend exclusively in the room and set up our own bar, guests played pool in the room?s three tables and we had a buffet of really good food?both appetizers and entrees. We did a fun laptop slideshow that was projected on the room?s huge TV screen and it was so cool to see it that huge and our music was put to surround sound! I would highly recommend this venue if you want something unusual; the pool adds an element that levels the playing field and makes it really entertaining. Our party also enjoyed a great time in the ritzy Ultralounge dancing. It?s a great way to really interact with the party. The reception was a perfect ending to a wonderful day. Pros: Great Private Rooms, Free Parking more

It seemed like forever before The Parlor came along because I was sick of playing pool in places that made their billiards space an afterthought. Here, it?s the front and center attraction. There is such a thing as a well appointed pool and billiards room and this place sets the standard high. With a fairly stringent dress code and the money put into this space at Lincoln Square one could fairly call it ?upscale billiards.? The parlor has over 30 pool tables, most of which are Brunswick . The place is huge, with 20,000 square feet and something to keep each member of the party happy. There?s a main room, two little private rooms and Ultralounge so there?s a lot going on in a single night. Full service food and beverage is a nice touch to get all you need in one place. It?s become a regular weekly hangout for my friends and I after work. more

The Parlor is a nice and ritzy looking place, but standards that they uphold for their guests is so strict that it makes it difficult to have any fun. The management is really uptight and the dress code is super strict, however, sometimes it seems kind of random what their dress code is. For example, they've let in one of my friends who had some slightly ripped jeans, but wouldn't let someone else in because he also had ripped jeans. So I'm not sure what their dress code is based on really. Girls never have trouble getting in though. The music the DJ plays makes it hard to dance to and I wonder if he notices that people are just standing around on the dance floor the majority of the time. They seem to play the same songs the few times that I've been there, so it doesn't seem like the music gets updated often. And they tend to play older stuff. The billiards are over-priced, food is decent, and they have way too few servers, so expect to wait a while if you're hungry or thirsty. There is not enough seating in the dining area and it's usually overcrowded. Pros: A lot of pool tables, lounge area Cons: Poor management, slow service, music more

My company recently held a private event at the Parlor Billiards in Bellevue. It was the first time going to the Parlor for me and most of our group. I have to say it was much more than I expected. Don't let the "Billiards" part of the name fool you. It is much more than you would expect. Billiards in just one of things you can do there. The place was huge, but the decor and design made me feel quite comfortable. From the moment we arrived and till the time we left. (We stayed several hours past our event!) We were treated very well by the staff. They really went out of the way to make sure we were happy. The food was probably the best I've had in restaurant in a long time. They put on a spread that was fantastic! Best I've had at a corporate banquet setting. The place was hopping for a Wednesday night! They were having a "Girl?s Night Out" later that evening, and the place was filling up with groups of ladies in the Lounge they have called the Ultralounge. The lounge reminded me of those cool trendy clubs in Vegas like Tao. My fiance is planning to have here bachelorette party there. Rather have her do it there, instead of some sketchy club in Pioneer square. I love everything about the place. I recommend it to everyone. Great atmosphere, dancing & music, billiards, great food, safe FREE parking, and great location. Bravo! Pros: Great Food! Cool Club Vibe! Free Parking! Great Staff! more

Bellevue has a new city dump, and it is called, "The Parlor". In the evenings the rodents and crows descend to nibble on whatever scraps they can find. The snaggle-toothed stray dog at the door barks and barks at anything unfamiliar, so it's best to keep a little distance. Very smelly. Pros: half-eaten sandwiches, apple cores, etc. Cons: is, after all, still a dump more

I've been back a few times and encounter the same experiences. Servers are rare and few in between. The dining area isn't THAT big, but they seem to dissapear alot. Overpriced billards. Music most of the time is hard to dance to and I wonder why doesn't the DJ doesnt look up once in awhile at the crowd and notice the people are looking at eachother oddly. Bars are not easy acess to get to and walk from. Security guards want the walk way cleared, but how can it when if you need a drink, you have to stand ON the walkway. Lounge was good though for large parties wanting to sit back and relax. more

I was thoroughly disgusted with this place after they wouldn't allow me in because I had a drink prior to trying to enter. I felt discriminated against. I was dressed to "their" standards, and sober, but they said because I had a drink at another establishment I wasn't allowed inside. I've never heard that before. I briefly spoke with the manager and he said he was standing by his doorman's decision. This place is a wanta be vegas style club in BELLEVUE! $10 to get in... for what.. no dancing. I told the manager if he can't explain to me why I can't enter I won't ever return. Steer clear of this place.. Try Lucky Strike or Joey's if you're going to hang out in Bellevue. more

This place is an absolute joke. Three Strikes and You're out Parlor. I won't be going back. I was there last weekend to shoot some stick. Overpriced in every sense of the word, and the owner and management treat their employees like garbage. No wonder there is so much turnover and no sense of teamwork there. No cohesion, overpriced, goofy looking security guys, terrible management team, and plenty of waitresses who barely give a smile. In the two hours that I was there with 3 friends, I hear at least 1 security guy get chewed out for not greeting properly, one greeter for not greeting properly. Don't manager know they should pull people aside and talk to them in private if they have an issue? The GM Tom is pathetic. But my guess is the attitude from management trickles down from the owner who claims he's trying to create the best billiards parlor in America, but instead has failed miserable due to mis-management. Don't go and waste your money. Go to Jillian's instead. Pros: Location Location Location Cons: Poor Management. more

Going to The Parlor? Make sure you turn your style up, all the way up to full-douche. If you didn't dress for the occasion just remember that you are in the middle of a shopping mall, so just walk on over to Kenneth Cole and buy what everyone else is wearing. But don't buy a hat. Not only will they make you take it off but they will make you check it, because the single greatest threat security has to worry about from a bunch of middle-aged white guys is a hat in your back pocket (when the real robbery is going on in the bar). My advice? Use Citysearch to find a bar in Seattle, and stay out of the East Side. Pros: Got a great price on sheets downstairs... in the shopping mall Cons: That a place like this exists more

I have attended a few events at the parlor but my experience last week was the last. I was attending a class reunion in a private room, paid my class reunion fee (fine) and ordered a drink. Found out later that others were ordering drinks at the bar and not waiting for the server and paying $2 less at the bar ! What ? Why ? we were told because we were a private event. Problem was the bar was not hosted so were on our own for drinks. Then those of us that used credit cards to pay our tabs were charged a automatic 18% tip, after our re-union coordinator had already paid a service fee for the room and the service. We had security problems after some people went outside to smoke and tried to return, they were told they had to wait (even though they had Parlor wrist bands on) identifing them as already being inside, then were told by security that if they didn't stop asking questions (two were asked) they would not be let back in. The owner of this place needs to have a serious lesson in restaurant management or let someone run it that knows what they are doing before this place closes because of all of the bad feedback. I work in the industry and have told everyone I know not to go there or hold an event there. Pros: Ya right. Cons: Bad Management, Overcharging, Rude Security more

We were there drinking grey goose martinis and playing pool, had ordered food, The AC BROKE and we were SWEATING (it had to be close to 90 degrees!). now my tab was close to $100 at this point and we had been there about an hour. So i asked the manager if he could do anything for us. (granted i just wanted half off pool or SOMETHING!) He said NO. So much for customer service. i couldn't beleive it. My husband and I are pool players and enter tournaments all the time. there are plenty of other cool places to go and play. Take advantage of those instead. I TELL EVERYONE THIS STORY AND HOW NOT TO GO THERE. I also have a high position with a large corporate company, so you better believe everyone has heard this story. Pros: Hopefully they will be out of business soon Cons: Poor management, people thinking they are better than everyone else, security clowns more

Went back to visit and eat before a movie and asked for Tony but was told he no longer worked there. It's probably a good thing...server was aweful, very "bitchie" and acted like I was bothering her, on top of that it took forever to get our bill and the server was no where to be found for refills on our drinks. The other security there, except for the door guy, seemed standoffish and very rude. Whats going on with this place? it's falling fast and needs new...everything! Management, security..maybe a new owner? I wonder if they even care about whats happening to the business. There isn't any place like this in Bellevue, but I think I will start looking for another billiards place to hang out at...it would probably appreciate the business and money better than this place. By the way...work on being consistent with your dress code!! Pros: none now Cons: everything! more

Here is a letter I wrote the owner Steve. First off, I would like to simply state that I am absolutely disgusted by your security. I recently moved to Bellevue from Las Vegas and have been used to proper customer service. I am a 28 year old, well respected and professional individual who was mistreated by your security/bouncer. He claimed my jeans had too many holes and refused to let me in, yet he had let me in 3 times before Saturday 9/29/07. My jeans are $300.00 and have a worn look but are not as he said ?too ragged?. Who is he to judge fashion when he is wearing a blue suit coat from the Aramark? Normally, I wouldn?t be irritated about mistreatment but I have spent over $700.00 at your establishment and planned on many more outings. Sure, $700.00 may mean nothing to you but please keep in mind my fiance and I have only been here for 2 weeks. Due to incompetence, I have decided to never spend another dollar at your establishment. I plan to inform every single person I know and run into about the incompetence of ?The Parlor Security? with the intention that they will share the same disgust. Considering I am who I am, I will also be looking for EVERY avenue to discuss this within Bellevue/Seattle community. PS? You might want to update your website?s dress code to read? ?You can?t wear expensive jeans? Dress Code ? No Baggy Pants or Shirts ? No Gym Shorts or Sweats ? No Hats, Visors, or Bandanas (complimentary hat check provided) Cons: Service is TERRIBLE more

I went there last night. The food and drink were very good. The happy hour menu is one of the best I have had. However, our waitress was not very professional. She kept disappearing for a long time when we were looking for her or she would be flirting with other customers and we couldn't call her for any services. Even though the place is nice, there are other nice places with better services Pros: Good Menu Cons: Service more

I went to the Parlor last weekend. I had a great time. Drinks were pretty cheap and the food way good. It was hard to get a table and it was very crowded. I've seen better happy hours in Bellevue. Newport Bay in Kirkland has $2.50 appetizers and they are really large. Check it out! Pros: Great atmosphere on days like Tuesdays! Cons: Bad service and too many people! more

I was at the Parlor last Friday night with a group of friends. I had no idea they had added a lounge area. It was a perfect spot for my friends to drink and socialize. Love it! The happy hour was great too! Pros: Great Happy Hour! more

I came here on a trip to Seattle. It was very easy to find it as I stayed in the Hyatt across the street from it. The happy hour was amazing! Cheap beer and wine, and gourmet bar food. We order sliders and coconut shrimp, which were really good for bar food and at happy hour prices. Next time I will have to play some pool. Pros: Happy Hour Prices more