Gaspare Ristorante & Bar

Nice spot for happy hour with a spacious outdoor area. Not the best Italian food but a good choice for a drink and an appetizer. With an upgrade on the food this place would be a five star. Terrific service and great drinks.

We went here for dinner and we had friendly service and a great meal. The owner brought in fresh mint to make mojitos and it was really light and refreshing. I ordered the Cioppino it was excellent a lot of flavor and a huge portion of seafood. This was our first visit here but not our last :)

My wife and I had walked by this place numerous times, but didn’t walk in until recently. We weren’t sure about the place, since it is basically a house that looks converted to a restaurant.
Foremost, the interior is very cool. We loved the feel of the place. It was clean, decorated very modern, and didn’t feel cramped. It really added to the atmosphere.
The menu was small, but had a great selection. I ordered a pasta dish, and my wife ordered eggplant. We both loved our dishes. They had specials, and a multiple course dinner option.
They have a great wine list. We got a wine flight that was paired to our dinners. The waitress would come by to ask if we wanted to move onto the next wine. (So they paired will with the course we had).
Our waitress was exceptional, and very friendly. She helped us narrow down our menu choices, and when we were torn between two wines, she would make a recommendation that was very spot on. We ended up leaving her around a 25% tip.
We went on a Saturday night, and although we made reservations, we probably didn’t need to. The place wasn’t very full, and thus it was a very quiet and relaxing dinner. They had outdoor seating as well.
The price was very reasonable. It wasn’t a cheap dinner, but it wasn’t costly like a very upscale place. Perfect for an impromptu nice night out.
We are planning on going back since we enjoyed it so much.

Gaspare, we really, really want to like you.
Your warm welcome and impeccable, yet personable, service are spot-​on and wonderful. Your atmosphere is lovely: all soft lighting and comfortable yet elegant old home feeling. The reason for the three (and not five) stars is your food. This is also the reason we come back periodically to try something new and see if perhaps we just chose badly off the menu the last time. Apparently, it is either the food is simply okay, or we simply cannot chose a menu item that satisfies… and I don’t think that is the case.
Our most recent venture there was with a good friend who, to be fair, absolutely raved about the lamb shank and risotto special. In fact, when he was finished with his meal you’d be hard-​pressed to find an edible morsel on his plate. Yes, even the marrow was gone. In the past I’ve tried the Vitello Piccata (Tender veal in a light white wine, lemon, and caper sauce) and found it fine, but nothing to write home about. Most recently I tried the Fettucine Bolognese (Fettucine served in a slow-​simmered tomato, ground beef, onion, celery, and carrot sauce) and found it sadly wanting, overpoweringly tomato-​ey without a hint of ground beef or subtle flavor that the onion, carrot and celery generally brings. One friend tried the Penne con Salsiccia (Locally made Italian sausage, sliced and sautéed in a fresh tomato, garlic, and basil sauce, served over penne) and said it tasted okay but he was a little disgruntled about the portion (there were about five small slices of sausage and you could see the plate between the penne — definitely not like my bolognese, which took over the entire plate and threatened to spill over). Another friend went for the Lasagna Napoletana (A hearty version of a traditional Italian dish. Layers of pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and Italian sausage, covered in a Bolognese sauce) and while she got a huge portion, she found it lacking in flavor, just average.
Some of the portions are quite generous — so if you are flat-​out HUNGRY and want Italian, perhaps this is the place to go. It’s in the neighborhood for us and oh-​so convenient, but I’m not sure if we’ll be back.

Nice atmosphere, but not great food. My wife and I love Italian and have live very close, but would rather venture to Ballard or downtown for better options.

Randomly found this place walking down the road and decided to try it.
Bread was very good when it came out, and the gnocchi was huge (which worried me at first) but it tasted very good. Staff was very polite.
On the expensive side, but its a great small cozy restaurant. Seems like it would be great in the summer when the patio is open

This place was raved about by my coworker, so I went tonight. Very yummy gnocche, and the bread that came with it was delicious. Prices a bit high ($ 15 for the gnocche), but the patio is great and the staff is friendly!

Absolutely loved this place! Friends took my husband and I here for dinner. It’s in a cute little old house. Reminds me of my favorite Italian restaurant in Houston. I had the penne siciliani. They had a great vegetarian section and since I also eat seafood they had plenty to choose from for me. The waitress was very nice and attentive. Everyone enjoyed their entrée. My husband and one of our friends had some Italian beer that was really tasty. I would definitely love to go back here next time I’m in Seattle.

I’ve been eating at Gaspare’s for approximately the past 15 years (they were located in Lake City back in the days). My family loves Italian food, and Gaspare’s is absolutely our favorite Italian restaurant!
This place is the only truly delicious authentic Italian restaurant that we’ve encountered in Seattle.
If you love savory Italian pasta with lots of seafood, this is definitely the place to dine at. Gaspare is from southern Italy and he definitely has a special talent for cooking seafood dishes.
I’ve tried most of their seafood dishes, including their daily specialities, and all are AMAZING. My all time favorites include the Linguini con Vongole, Cioppino (I usually order pasta with it; comes with TONS of seafood!), and their special Langostino dish that they serve depending on the season.
They have a wonderful selection of appetizers as well. Our family favorites are the homemade Antipasto and Calamari Napoletana.
Sometimes Gaspare bakes focaccia bread too. They are fresh out of the oven and very moist, and are absolutely my favorite focaccia bread out there.
They have a great selection of wine to go along with your dishes. Dianne, the co-​owner, always has the perfect wine in mind for any dish and any personal preferences. Occasionally they have wine tasting nights as well.
I also love the Tiramisu that they serve here. After eating Tiramisu here when I was a young child, I started to test Tiramisu at various locations, including several cities in Italy… But I haven’t discovered another Tiramisu that is as light, not-​too-​sweet, and elegant as the Tiramisu that is served at Gaspare’s.
The atmosphere of Gaspare’s is simple, very cozy and cute. Gaspare, Dianne, and their waiters are extremely friendly!

This spot is a gem. I’ll start by saying Italian’s pretty low on my list of things I’d prefer to eat, but this place has me coming back, so I’m a little surprised it’s not better regarded.
Me and my friends came the first time on a whim after a volleyball game, next door was packed/​closing down, so we headed over. It was literally 10 minutes to closing time, but the wonderful owners let us in. They were pretty hands off, but our group was looking more for a relaxing night chatting than anything, so it fit the bill, and we greatly appreciated the owners letting us stay over an hour after closing time.
The place is a sure win for me, from the drinks to the food. Half price wine bottles tuesday, AMAZING clam/​seafood linguini, aglio oglio was yum, and there’s this chicken dish that made me seriously pause because it was so good. I dont know what is about this place taste wise that differentiates it from other italian spots, but whatever it is, will have me coming back.

On a sunny warm Friday evening, some friends and I decided to go enjoy the patio at El Chupa. Unfortunately for us, about a million other people had this idea, and the wait was over an hour for an outdoor table. Having always wanted to try Gaspare (right next door), we decided to brave the more expensive menu for a seat on the patio and food right away.
The margarita I ordered was on par with the ones next door, and everybody devoured their food it was so tasty. Service was great, and they didn’t get upset that our original party of 5 turned into about 12 as more friends than we had planned on arrived. We all still had our moment of sticker-​shock when we saw the tab, but I if you know what to expect, its not unreasonable.
The 3-​course meal option that varies depending on the day is definitely worth it for a date-​night with that special someone. :)

Last Friday we wanted to eat outside and enjoy the beautiful day so we headed to El Chupacabra for dinner. We weren’t the only people who had this idea, and there were 11 people in our party so we weren’t sure where to go. We looked next door and saw Gaspare with an empty patio. We walked inside and it was also almost empty — we knew this was a bad sign but we were hungry and thought we’d take the chance.
The service was shockingly rude and they seemed to want to hurry us out of there. Although it was 7 on a Friday we were told they only had enough dough left for four pizzas and no lasagna. They obviously hadn’t sold out.
The bruschetta was edible, the calamari sauteed and then drowned in red sauce, and the entrees were almost inedible. My Fettucine Bolognese ($ 15) tasted like a Ragu sauce and my boyfriend’s Penne con Salsiccia ($ 16) was equally unappealing. Most of my friends were similarly disappointed, although the cheaper pizza had a nice crust which redeemed it.
If this restaurant was back in New York, I would have assumed it was a mob front. I’m not sure how they stay open with the amount of business they do – Maybe it’s the high price point for substandard food?
To be fair — the wine flight ($ 19) is a fairly good value if you choose your wines well. I was lucky in the four I picked but some of my friends had a very unsatisfying third round of reds.

We were served by the owner who was warm and attentive to us. I had Bruschetta (very fresh) followed by tiger prawns in a white wine/​garlic/​lemon sauce. Everything was very tasty. My girlfriend got the gnocchi; which she loved. It was nice that they had a full bar; I had a Negroni with dinner and a Hennessey afterwards. This place strikes me as a great date spot with it’s warm tones, soft lighting and fire place.

I have been to Gaspare several times, mostly for ‘special’ occasions (birthdays, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries) and it is surely one of my favorite restaurants in the area.
Dianne, the owner, is such a pleasure to be around, and she and her husband run a wonderful establishment. The environment is cozy and romantic, the wine list is awesome (and Tuesday nights are half-​price bottle of wine night!!) and the food… I am NEVER disappointed! And I am vegan! They have some wonderful vegan options and are very accommodating. I love the Penne del Vesuvio, and for dessert, the lemon sorbet served in a frozen lemon… MMMM!
I recently went there for my 30^th birthday celebration with about 15 friends, and they set up a long table for us by the fireplace. The service, as usual, was kind, professional and prompt, and the food was loved by all. We had a wonderful time, as was expected.
And if you happen to see the wild boar or the chicken meatballs on the menu as a special, according to my boyfriend, YOU MUST TRY THEM :)
I love this place, and can’t wait to go back.
Thanks for hosting a wonderful 30^th, Gaspare!

It’s an excellent place, with great food, and excellent service. We walked in and were immediately shown to a table, and the waitress and owner both greeted us. The menu was outstanding and it was a very difficult decision, because there were so many things that were tempting. As each patron around us was served, we were jealous, because everything looked good, even as we enjoyed our own delicious meals.
The wine selection was good and the price was very reasonable for the quality of the food. I highly recommend Gaspare’s.

Woeful. My wife and I ordered two salads, two appetizers, two $ 20 entrees and two desserts, and we still left Gaspare’s hungry. And $ 98 dollars plus a 15% tip poorer. Real Italian restaurants are passionate about FOOD — and LOTS of it. Even if it is presented homestyle, you will leave a good establishment full. Not Gaspare’s. We went to the grocery store afterward, aching for real food.
The helpings are small and bread is not offered. The veal with capers and Marsala came with 4 sliced vegetable pieces. Again, twenty bucks. Italian Caesar salad should be something special, but it felt like Super Salads buffet.
The crowd is dull and not very sophisticated about good Italian food. Definitely seems to put the emphasis on alcohol over good food.
Outrageously expensive? Ripoff.
Try Café Piccolo — that captures the real spirit of good Italian.

So we decided to come here for some good ol’ Italian food two weeks ago. And I must say, I was not particularly impressed with anything. I mean it’s hard for me to complain as I did not pay for my meal, but I still tried to keep in mind the prices for most things to create a fair review had I purchased my meal. Anyway the place is quite comfortable, and the service is very good. However, I think we came on a Wednesday night… which isn’t really a peak dining night so you kind of expect good service.
The entrees and wine were all fairly priced with most other small Italian restaurants around the area. And most of the food was quite good. I must admit I did like their Lasagna quite a bit, as well as their Ravioli… which had some kind of sauce that made you want to ask for more bread so you could soak it up from the plate.
However everything else was well. just mediocre to the point of I can’t even remember what we ordered. The seafood risotto left something to be desired and just couldn’t quite compare to other risotto I’ve had from other joints. Anyway… it was a free meal… so it was tasty. Would I come back… probably only to go to Red Mill across the street.
~G
p. s. Mandatory 18% gratuity for a party of six?!? that’s like highway robbery.

Note: I am Italian. Like, «grew up in a biligual household, can go to Italy and not be instantly recognized as an American» Italian. My mom’s name has more vowels than cosonants. You get the idea. The point is, I’m picky when it comes to Italian food. And despite said pickiness, I really enjoyed Gaspare’s.
It wasn’t just the food, which is arguably quite good (the eggplant wrapped prosciutto and mozerella topped with tomato sauce was awesome; the gnocchi were light and rich all at once), but the incredibly friendly service, the lovely locale, ample parking, and reasonably priced wine that helped make my night a damn good one. It’s not too fancy, nor too romantic, but it’s charming and it’s sweet — which just might be enough to make someone fall in love with you by the second course.

Sunday is a surprisingly busy day for Italian restaraunts in the greater Seattle area. Luckily, Gaspare was wonderfully relaxed and devoid of the intense hustle and bustle my fiancé’ and I commonly struggle to avoid. We arrived at Gaspare by accident; and when all was said and done we felt lucky to have found ourselves there. The lighting was soft and pleasing to the eyes; the wait-​staff was all smiles, very prompt., and knowledgeable about all facets of the menu. It was a surprisingly enjoyable ambiance.
For an appetizer we ordered the Bruscetta. It came toasted, drizzled with olive oil, and topped with generous amounts of tomato and basil. It could have easily satisfied four, and was certainly more than the two of us could handle if we had any hopes of finishing our main courses. My fiancé’ ordered the Large Wild Italian Salad. The ingredients were very fresh, varied, and the dressing was light and flavorful. She claimed that it was the «best salad she’d ever eaten». Considering the number of salads I’ve watched her eat from across the table, I took those words to heart. I ordered the Linguine con Vongole. The clams were numerous and deliscious; wonderfully seasoned in a colorful cream sauce. We paired the whole meal with a glass of Pinot Noir and couldn’t have left happier or more satisfied. A great restaraunt that I look forward to visiting again.
Grazzi Gaspare! Grazzi!

Gaspare is an excellent choice for a dinner date or a small celebration. The atmosphere is warm and intimate. The restaurant is quite small with seating for less than 50 people, but the tables can easily be moved to accommodate larger groups.
Last night I went with five of my friends to indulge ourselves on a fine meal. I must say, none of us were disappointed.
five of us chose to order the wine flight. $ 15 got us a selection of four wines done as ²⁄₃ pours. Each wine is intended to accompany a different course of the meal, but we found that we couldn’t drink the wine fast enough! The first wine course was a choice between two bubblies, either a Bellini or a dry sparkling white. The next course was between two whites, either a chardonnay or a pinot grigio. A course of reds followed the whites. This course had a number of choices ranging from chianti to syrah to cab. Finally, the wine wrapped up with a selection of dessert wines.
Enough about the booze, The food was just as tasty! I ordered the special, chicken meatballs over penne pasta in a light tomato sauce with large chunks of fresh tomato and pine nuts. The meatballs were plentiful and the sauce was flavorful without being overpowering. I accompanied my pasta with a lovely house made Caesar (The menu warns that the dressing contains raw egg). The salad was crisp, fresh and well put together.
Our group was feeling so satisfied by the end of our main course that we couldn’t help but try some of the luscious desserts. We sampled the chocolate genache pyramid, which was rich and creamy, the tiramisu, which was light and fluffy, and the hazelnut gelato, which was served in a glass and drowned in espresso, making for a sort of gourmet espresso milkshake. All told, my portion of the bill came to about $ 60 after tip and we all left feeling supremely satisfied.
If you are looking for a good place for an intimate date or just somewhere to treat yourself, the folks at Gaspare will treat you right.