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Cafe Juanita

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9702 NE 120th Pl
Kirkland, WA 98034

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(425) 823-1505
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Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Cafe Juanita - Kirkland, WA
Reviews
( 35 )
( 14 )
( 5 )
( 1 )
( 2 )

Best

My wife and I recently dined at Cafe Juanita for our anniversary. As always, the food was innovative and expertly prepared, and the service was friendly and efficient. In my 12 ye...

Worst

I guess if you really love Northern Italian food with strange trendy additives to make it unique, then this place is for you. Ambience was fantastic, service average, and food......

Disappointed for the first time 4/19/2006

We had dinner at Cafe Juanita on April 15th. We were quite disappointed, based on a number of excellent meals we haave had there in the past. We showed up on time at 9.30pm and had to wait a good 15' for a table. The food had lost the quality and crispness of preparation characteristic of this restaurant. My squab was literally swimming in a very watery sauce, the soup appetizer was average. Worse, the waitress pushed wine consumption, literally forcing us to have a second bottle (this was a party of 4...) of wine. We also e felt that dishes had been served too quickly, so much for slow food! Has Cafe Juanita fallen victim to its success? Cons: Service, Food more
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User review by krisdowning 9/1/2005

After talking about Cafe Juanita being my all time FAVORITE restuarant for years, it is time that I finally put it into writing. The food is always wonderful and created with seasonality. Holly has passionately taken Cafe Juanita from one dining level to the next with the addition of 90% of her menu being organic food found locally. The service is the best in the city. Jim is hands down the best waiter I have ever had, in any restaurant. My true testament to this restuarant is when we take non-foodies to Cafe Juanita and they enjoy it as much as we do. My nine year old niece told her mom, I want to come to Cafe Juanita every year for my Birthday!!!!! I can not say enough about the dining experience we have everytime we dine at Cafe Juanita. Keep up the good work Holly and Cafe Juanita staff. Pros: excellent wine list, hand made desserts, organic Cons: parking more
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Absolutely one of the best 4/10/2005

Tonight was our third time dining at Cafe Juanita and, as before, the meal was unforgettable. The Pear Brandy Sidecar was fantastic, with just enough sweetness to contrast the strong flavor of the pear brandy. The octopus was the most tender I've had anywhere (I wish I knew how to do it) and married perfectly with the chickpea and sauce. The lamb was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the white anchovy reminded me of a classic bagna cauda sauce, but I really appreciated the anchovy without the heavy garlic, particularly against the subtle flavor of the turnip gratin. Once again, a perfect meal in a beautiful setting with an attentive waiter. If it hadn't been raining I would have sworn I was in the Piedmont! more
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French/Italian 1/8/2005

This is the most French ""Italian"" I have ever eaten. I've lived in Italy and was NEVER served butter with the bread only olive oil. The menu consisted of rabbit, duck and lamb...hummmm sound FRENCH? The rib eye was full of fat, charred and greasy. Not appetizing at all. For the money, definitely not worth the hype. If you want to do french food, then advertise as such. Pros: great service, good wine Cons: , poor value more
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What A Gem! 9/16/2004

This place is truly amazing - and trying to find it is actually part of the fun....food is utterly delicious - with a very unique sense of the true Italian cooking. It is the sense of ""purity"" and ""creativity"" without losing the simplicity that sets this place apart from your normal Italian restaurants. Well-crafted wine list shows good depth and includes some amazing finds. The dining room is particularly beautiful around sunset and the services are warm. Truly worth a treasure hunt out of the Seattle city limit! Pros: Great food, Excellent wine list more
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Dressed Up On The Eastside 12/30/2003

Beautifully seared, crusty yet medium-rare, bone-in, rib-eye for two with a chanterelle, lobster reduction sauce. Absolutely stunning. It was all I could do to keep from gnawing the bone. The waiter hinted it might not be appropriate. If the sauteed cauliflower in a nutty cheese sauce was served as an a la carte vegetable, this might as well be the best steak house in town. But that would be far too limiting for Holly's ability. The menu is filled with creative, Italian and French inspired dishes made with local, seasonal ingredients. The wine list, while pricey, was thorough and trustworthy. We picked two $60 Barbarescos that were great, even at that bargain price. The ambiance make this a romantic place that serves what I believe to be the Eastside's highest cuisine. My only wish was that I knew the menu was a la carte. I would have ordered more. Pros: Exceptional Food, Trustworthy Wine List, A Romantic Evening more
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Cafe Juanita 8/19/2003

They spend all their profits on meals and service, not on fancy building and gimick scencery. The food was spectacular and Jim (the waiter) was above all possible expectations. When you visit, ask him about the wheel of parmesian cheese. The food chef and the bakery chef were both tantelizingly talented women and had a crew that was filling my needs before I knew what those needs were. The cloth towels in the bathrooms were a nice clean touch. Pros: Jim, food, service more
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Relax in Juanita 6/4/2003

The server made excellent suggestions as to food pairings. I found it strange that he bragged of the cost of the wheel of cheese the restaurant has shipped from Italy each month. Pros: Aperitif pairings, atmosphere, seasonal ingredients more
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It's the best 2/27/2003

A beautiful, quiet, intimate restaurant with wonderful food and wine. Everyone is treated as a valued return visitor. The chefs will happily modify food to each diner's needs. Pros: fresh produce, the finest meats, great wine list Cons: parking is tight, outdoor lighting more
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Delicious!!!!! 2/26/2003

We travel to the northwest frequently and always make dinner plans at Cafe Juanita. This last time we had quail as an appetizer as our waiter suggested and it was incredible. I had the rabbit for dinner and my wife had the lamb, as usual it was prepared perfectly. Very enjoyable dining experience. more
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Great New Year's Eve 2/6/2003

We spent our New Year's Eve dinner at this lovely place. We had to wait a touch longer than we expected - the waiting area by the door is small to begin with, and quite cramped with 8 senior citizens - distinguished, albeit - on top of you. The fixed price veggie option was superb. The others are right - from the outside, it does evoke slight memories of grandma's rambler in Spokane, but the interior is elegant and lively. The staff were wonderful, and it was a treat to see Holly Smith buzzing about doing her thing. It was a great night. more
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One of the BEST on EITHER side of Lk. WA 2/3/2003

I've eaten here several times and it's always great. Recently took my father-in-law when he was in town. He had the whole fish special and said it was one of the best meals he's eaten, this from a man that has lived close to a dozen countries and dined in many of the world's finest restaurants. The foie gras is outstanding, the whole fish is incredible, the rabbit is one of the best in Seattle. Seasonal delicacies will be on the menu from truffles to fresh morels, etc. Don't be afraid to ask about terms on the menu. My servers have always been courteous in explaining ingredients, sauces, etc. when asked. Due to the 'unusual' ingredients it could be tough for a picky eater to find something of interest. The wine list is weighted on the pricey side in the offerings, not the markups, but there are still affordable offerings. Pros: Inventive Food, 'Unusual' Ingredients, Excellent Execution Cons: Not great parking, Wines on pricey end, Picky Eaters Beware more
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memorable dining 1/14/2003

Having dined there many times my favorite is the rib steak but you will find all menu items are excellant and superbly presented. Waiters are knowledgeable, courteous, and kind. Atmoshere is quiet permitting enjoyable conversation with guests. Pros: friendly, noncrowded, nonsmoking Cons: limited parking more
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not so hot 1/13/2003

I guess if you really love Northern Italian food with strange trendy additives to make it unique, then this place is for you. Ambience was fantastic, service average, and food... well... the scallops were perfect, but if you want anything ""normal,"" suhc as chicken, or something remotely vegetarian, you should go somewhere else. The closest thing to traditional pasta was the tortellini, but it was filled with goat cheese and beet paste and fennel. Pros: parking, ambience, "day of" reservations Cons: expensive, not so good food, snotty server more
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A Journey Into Italy 1/12/2003

This is one of my favorite restaurants. The food is services is great, the food is always amazing, and atmosphere is soothing and romantic. I've eaten here at least 20 times, and have never been disappointed yet. more
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Totally Worth it! 1/3/2003

Cafe Juanita was THE best dining experience in Seattle. Creative menu, excellent service, and a great wine list are the reasons. Pros: Wine List, Service, Menu more
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Fair, but pricey 12/26/2002

Give me a view and more privacy and I would had been happy with the food and the price. We went there for our anniversary. The food was quite good but not exceptional, and the bill was quite high. I wouldn't have minded the cost except for the closeness of the dining environment. It seemed like we could hear conversation from all the tables near us. Not what we wanted for an intimate special occasion dinner. Pros: food presentation, good menu Cons: crowded, cramped seating, minimal privacy more
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A Treat for the Senses! 12/9/2002

I took the first bite into the braised rabbit and knew that we picked a hands-down winner. They give you a knife, but who needs it? The meat just falls off the bone. The whole meal, from the rich pear salad, to their creamy risotto with balsamic vinegar reduction, to our entrees (the scallops are like butter) -- all were absolutely heavenly. Kudos to Chef Holly Smith! Warm, inviting, complex flavors, and a cozy setting made our night absolutely memorable. Pros: marvelous flavors, intimate setting Cons: easy to miss at night more
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Worth the trip 11/6/2002

This is the most authentic yet creative Italian restaurant in Seattle. The wine list is superb and the markup is not excessive. more
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Always good 11/2/2002

One of the best places to eat on the eastside, if not all of seattle. Been going there every few months for 10 years. Place isn't fancy, but the remodel a few years ago at least made it agreeable. Home-made pasts are great to share. Try the rabbit. Pros: Food, Quiet more
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Menu for Cafe Juanita


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Editorial

  • In Short
    Chef/owner Holly Smith's regard for ingredients is apparent and a frequently changing menu ensures everything is at its peak. Foie gras is paired with nectarines; a dish of local...

  • 10/3/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Tuesday To Saturday From 05:00 PM To 10:00 PM Sunday To Monday From 05:00 PM To 09:00 PM
  • Payments: Master Card, Visa, American Express
  • Neighborhoods: South Juanita
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