My husband brought me here for a late valentine date last night. The space itself was small and romantic, which I love. The staff was wonderful from the kitchen, to the servers. My husband and I decided to order a bunch of dishes and share. At one point he dropped a ravioli on the floor while transferring to his plate, so he didn’t get to have that last bite of heaven. Our server must have seen the tragic loss unfold because he brought my husband a bowl with another ravioli in it so that he could enjoy the bite that he lost. It was truly thoughtful and we appreciated the detailed care that we received. Thank you for a wonderful experience!
In one word, Outstanding!! With a few more, great staff paying attention, bone marrow to drown in, pork shank like never tasted before and the taleggio tortellini swept us to heaven. Go there!!
The food was very good and different! I loved that they don't serve the run of the mill dishes normally found at Italian places. The decor was fantastic! The server was what made the experience though! The intimate nature of the restaurant (it is quite small), makes the wait staff so much more attentive and less rushed.
My dad and I took my uncle here while he was in town. Meg, Madison, and the whole crew blew us away. Best meal I've had in a long time, plus that was literally the best pork chop I've ever had in my life. Thank you so much! <3
Pattie O'Loughlin Cloud
+5
We had an amazing dining experience here for my 50th Birthday. Every dish brought surprises and the service is impeccable. I️ told my friends and family it is 5-Star dining in a jeans and a sweater environment.
The food was on point and the service was excellent, we had a great experience I would go back again in a heartbeat!
Outstanding! We enjoyed a wonderfully prepared, gourmet, farm-to-table, shared plates before seeing a show at the Seattle Center. Top notch service, presentation, and the food was delicious!
My favorite Seattle restaurant without a second thought. The menu is lovely and vegetarian-friendly, and the staff is even lovelier.
First time to HTCAW and it did not disappoint! We split various dishes among the five of us and no one went home hungry. Wait staff was attentive and the proportions were hearty. Would go again!
Absolutely phenomenal. Boyfriend and I went there for our third anniversary and they treated us like we were the only ones at the restaurant. Gave us free glasses of champagne to celebrate, and even stuck some "birthday" candles in our dessert. Simple, but meaningful, touches.
Not only was the experience a true delight, but the food was out of this world delicious. The crispy cauliflower will haunt my dreams forever. Can't wait to come back!
Amazing meal...service was exceptional. Staff was friendly and helpful with suggestions for the menu.
Visiting my son who treated me here great place great food great staff nice atmosphere
Great food and fun bistro to enjoy the evening. It's small so reservations is a good idea. Very friendly!
I think this one was a hit.
We went after I made a few research on Italian dining places around Seattle for my husband's belated birthday dinner, I've heard many good things about How To Cook a Wolf from many foodies so I decided to reserve a table.
My husband has a particular preference for his own dining experience being that he works in restaurant business, even though he won't admit it. But this place brought a big smile on his face from start to finish!
The service was excellent, when we walked in the hostess weren't there but one of the cook saw us and he greeted us and told us the hostess will be with us soon. Once seated the waiter came and introduce herself and explain the specials, she also brought us some bubbles to start. We ordered the hamachi, scallops, crispy duck and the pasta of which I can't remember the name. All of them are real delicious, I particularly enjoyed the scallops....They are sublime!
Whenever the food came one of the kitchen member brought it to our table and explain what we have on each dish, I love this service, they made it so personal. Everything we had even to the bread service was excellent, they even brought some peach sorbet dessert for the birthday boy!
I don't hesitate on recommending and go back to this place, it was quite the dining experience.
Between this restaurant and it's sister restaurant Mkt., we always know where we will eat anytime we visit Seattle. If we have time, we like to go to both. The staff always make us feel welcome there, and the food is excellent and somewhat unique.
We really enjoy food and dining experiences, so when we visited Seattle (family with two teenage daughters) We chose to have dinner here. The approach is as unusual as the name. Lots of small plate options—all meant for sharing—and some excellent larger plate entries. The mood is casual, the food local, the preparation is excellent, and the service friendly and warm. If you like food, and appreciate a unique approach, plan to come here. Get reservations—the venue is small. And Enjoy! (Read the book before you come if you want to really understand the philosophy)
We were 2 couples in Seattle for the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill concert and checked out “How to cook a wolf” due to its great reviews. Well, this is another great review. We were promptly seated near the large open door near the outside street tables. Our server was prompt and very knowledgeable about wine and the current menu. My wife and I shared the chicken liver mousse as an appy and we decided to share 3 pasta dishes between the 4 of us and it was plenty. The flavours were amazing. Fresh tasting ingredients and great pasta sauces. I would highly recommend this restaurant if your in the Queen Anne area of Seattle!!
How To Cook a Wolf is one of Ethan Stowell's gem. It's interior is unique, perfect place to go on a Summer evening in Seattle. Went there for my birthday and they gave us complimentary champagne. Service is phenomenal. Food was good, but not great; some were more outstanding than the other. One of the main dishes (lobster pasta) was a little bit disappointing, texture wise it was just right but it lacked flavor component from the sauce. The other appetizers were really good, flavor packed and quite nice in texture. Steak was done right, medium well just how I like it and the peas and fennel really complimented the dish.
Ethan Stowell has several restaurants in Seattle. We dined at 4 of them. The first one we went to was How To Cook A Wolf. Parking is pretty tough in the area (Queen Anne Ave N) so SP dropped me off in a grocery store lot, went and found street parking, then walked to get me and walk the block to the restaurant. We had made reservations and were seated right away.
The hype has gone down a bit here. I remember when there was a line out on the street, and other businesses feasted on not being able to get in here.
I still like the place. Good cocktails, good pasta and it's a great place during the summer. I like that little outdoor eating area. Sitting at the bar is a great way to see what's going on, too.
The menu doesn't change as often as I'd like, and I'd hate to be crammed into the back corner of the place. But other than that, this is one of my favorite Stowell places.
Wonderful night out. My husband and I have been wanting to get into How to Cook a Wolf for quite some time and timing just never worked out. We finally made it and it was worth the wait. We had amazing cocktails a wonderful mix of small plates of food and a top notch wine recommendation that was pleasant surprise. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who appreciates quality food that isn't pretentious and a fun atmosphere.
One thing that stands out in my mind is the service and friendliness of the staff here! It totally exceeded my expectations!
Thursday Night Bites
+4.5
I feel compelled to point out that while this post might at first seem scathing and a bit bitter, bear with me. Just like our evening, it's a bit of an uphill battle... but it gets better. I'd looked forward to Ethan Stowell's How to Cook A Wolf for weeks
The place is fairly teeny tiny, it can’t possibly sit more than 25-35 people. They don’t take reservations either. Their menu is small. The place was packed when I went, but there was one little spot for me at the counter. Right by the door, of course. Bu
Don't Miss: The seared scallops. Perfect with either doused in a controne bean vinaigrette, or a schmear of artichoke puree. Best stage set for a midnight nosh: when's it's at its twinkliest, hardly anything else is left open in town, and well fewer bodie
If you believe the amount of time people are willing to wait for a table is directly correlated to the caliber of the restaurant (I do) then How To Cook A Wolf is the be all-end all of Seattle restaurants. Three hours for a table?! Are they serious? Does
Since becoming a non-vegan again, I have been looking forward to coming back to Seattle and finally being able to try How to Cook a Wolf. How to Cook a Wolf is Ethan Stowell's latest restaurant where Chef Ryan Weed, who has worked at both of Stowell's oth
Sicilian Tasting Menu - fantastic meal at unbelievable price. We visited at the end of October and I ordered the Sicilian tasting menu, which is an incredible deal. Typically I am not a fan of octopus or squid, but their Grilled Baby Octopus was amazing - slightly charred but still tender. Everything that we ate was original and well executed. Beautiful interior and excellent, attentive service. Though I second the review that mentioned that the music is too loud (it was 80s music on our visit).
Pretty good but not worth the money.
Great food, terrible music.. My friend and I came here for our monthly night-out and almost left as soon as we walked in. Whoever was in charge of the stereo was BLARING Maroon 5 and Michael Jackson; we almost had to yell to be able to hear each other. The waitress seemed to sense our uneasiness with the loud music and tried cracking a joke about it to ease the tension. Luckily, we were subdued with some fantastic cocktails...and someone managed to turn down the volume. The food was delicious, I have not found a place that served squid ink pasta since I left London but they had it. We ended up having a wonderful time.
Omg!! Everything perfect... We sat down and the waitress came right over, she was sweet and attentive all night, and the timing of our dishes was perfect! I felt like she was waiting just on us. :)
We had the pork and pasta oregano thing, the beet salad, and the beef tartare, followed by the most awesome chocolate peanut butter desert, and all were amazing, every bite a mouthgasm, and we wiped up the sauces with the bread, couldn't waste any.. :)
I love this place, but I hear it gets crazy on weekends. Tuesday night was a great night to go.
How to cook a wolf review We had: Grilled Octopus - too tough and not grilled enough, beans under done and not savory enough Escolar Crudo - very nice texture, avocado needed acidity, but sauce had it, chiles just right Castro Franco Radicchio - bitterness not balanced well, had some savory flavors (white anchovies), plenty of sour, but no sweetness Branzino - fish was lovely, dish was not very colorful, beans slightly underdone Quail - parts were underdone, but very savory, server comped the dish Server gave good wine recommendations.
Comforting atmosphere, food was amazing & attentive staff
Mouthwatering.. Ethan stowell is a culinary god. having been at first slightly deterred by the long line and seemingly snooty server, i was ready to turn up my nose at the slightest sign of imperfection. however, everything turned out absolutely perfect. every bite of every dish melted in my mouth. the server was attentive, and the beautiful asymmetrical wood ceilings and copper panelling create a great space to enjoy the dining experience. i recommend everyone go at least once - it is a real treat. my only piece of advice is go before 7:30 (6-7 is ideal) to avoid long waits.
Just TOO Good. No wonder they have so many glowing reviews...and here comes another. Let me start with what I didn't like--not a damned thing--it was all fabulous. Three of us shared a number of dishes, starting with the olives which were followed by the artichokes hearts with fried garlic spears (I've got to grow these next year in my P-Patch!), lemon, and pine nuts and were to die for. The bruschetta with smoked tuna, chick pea purée and fresno chili was other-worldly and the chili flavor gave it a wonderful finish. Throw in some creamy heirloom tomato gazpacho, with
basil and olive oil, that was smooth but without a strong creamy taste. Lastly we shared a plate of spaghetti with clams, garlic, and prosecco and the others were lucky I didn't attack them for their shares.
All of this was light, delicious, and oh so flavorful. Tom, our server was outstanding and there was a team supporting him that all worked in harmony with the same high level of service. What a great experience.
It's Killer!. Just go. Everything about the place is fantastic. From the setting, to the food to the cocktails- it all just works!
Intimate, spohisticated, special spot. Been 3 or 4 times and love it. We take care to come on a week night so the waiting thing isn't out of hand. All the food is delicious; the pork belly and pasta options are always amazing. I suggest sitting at the bar and asking the chef to send out four or five choices in the order he suggests. It has never disappointed!
Excellent!. I went here with friends for our monthly Supper Club lat night, and everything about How To Cook A Wolf is excellent (except the veneer-style wood panelling over the stone in the kitchen -- that needs to go).
Because they don't take reservations, and we had a party of 10, it was important to get there before everyone. I called and let them know we were coming and miraculously everyone was there by 4:45 (the doors open at 5:00).
It's a small place, and they don't take reservations, but they were very accommodating since we did the legwork and arrived early.
The food is remarkable. Small plates, and designed to be shared -- which is great for a Supper Club social atmosphere. Our server was fantastic and made perfect recommendations on dishes and wine -- which can be challenging because we feature a vegetarian member and a gluten/lactose intolerant member in our party.
I think we sampled about everything on the menu -- so I'll hit the highlights. The Skate Wing was awesome. Spicy, flavorful and a hit. The surprise for me was the Frisee Salad, which packed much more flavor than I thought it would.
This is definitely a take-your-time kind of restaurant. The plates come out as the kitchen gets them prepared, which can lead to lags in eating time and if you like to indulge in the booze like me, presents challenges in making bottles of wine last.
Overall, this was a memorable experience, and I highly recommend it. I would plan on going with a small group, though, unless you want to get there at 4:30 and prepare to wait a bit. Anytime after that and there is no way a larger group can sit together.
But it's worth it.
AMAZINGLY AWESOME. I loved this place, I had the beef tongue and pork belly. Small, cute, intimate, perfect to take your significant other!
Favorite Seattle dining. Almost two years ago, I moved to Seattle alone, without a job and living off of my savings. How to Cook a Wolf was a great restaurant for me at the time - it's where I could take my dates and not break my limited budget. The food was fantastic, atmosphere very welcoming and all in all a great place for a nice dinner out. Once I'd found a job and could afford to eat wherever I wanted to, I still found myself coming back to How to Cook a Wolf.
Really a treat and less pricey than expected. I took my wife for her birthday. We were seated immediately, the atmosphere was comfortable and appetizing, having walked past the chef at work, hearing the sizzle over the conversations around us. We got cocktails, three recommended plates and the dessert and were quite satisfied--all For about $80. Each dish was beautiful without being minimal, and tasted simple and wonderful. Our waiter was attentive and helpful despite being harangued by our neighbors whenever he visited us. One downside was their being out of the scallops that the website had touted.
Long name, Long wait, worth both. The food is great here at HTCAW. Freshest ingredients. Although, the small environment tends to fill with smoke on occasion. The wine list was good.
Great carpaccio.. With so many choices for restaurants based on the small-plate theme, I find that a place really has to be amazing for me to return. How to Cook a Wolf is good and some dishes are great, but I don't know that I'll return any time soon. What was great: the carpaccio (one of the best I've had in the city), the novelty of parmesan soup (with lettuce as a main ingredient no less), the look of yellow soft boiled eggs nestled in a simple large white bowl and the cool copper-plated walls. What was so-so: the service and the wait.
GREAT SPACE!. I have to say i love this restaurant, it is beautiful and the food was great.... hats off the place, went in on a date and was amazed by the simplicity and desgin of the space, and the food to match.
GREAT FOOD! LOVED it and will be back many times
Another reason to never leave Queen Anne. This is a great, laid back, delicious spot. They do get extremely busy, so don't show up starving. They've obviously gotten a TON of press since opening, and people loooove to throw darts at the highest balloon. Bread not sliced all the way through? Go back to Olive Garden. Miniscule plates? Um, yeah, small plates. Just like the menu says... and probably like the server told you because I hear them repeating it ad infinitum every time I'm in there - which is weekly. The negative comments on here are a joke, probably written by folks who expect to get their asses kissed without being courteous in return. After years in the fine dining biz, I'm an extremely finicky diner. I love Wolf! It's the best of Ethan Stowell's small collection.
My what big teeth you have.... I love the ambiance, the feeling of a quaint neighborhood hang; it delivers. BUT, the staff is a little high on themselves and need to simmer down and not cook the clientele. The feeling of quaint could continue if staff could check egos at the door.
Menu is not super adventurous, but there is some creativity that hits. I do enjoy and savor the small plate samplage, so most might feel over priced, yet it does take a bit of labor to create layered flavors and I'm forgiving... Some successes, some ho hums.
I'd go back...
Maybe on a casual tuesday evening when the staff mellow the 'tudes.
My new favorite. I like this place. The food is delicious, the staff friendly, and if you go at the right time, there is no wait. The bread and olive oil is very interesting tasting -- almost like marshmallow, if marshmallow wasn't sweet. The menu changes often enough to go more than once a month.
Great feel and good food. Atmosphere is cozy/warm yet still feels special and the efficient but unhurried service makes it comfortable to linger and enjoy. The food is deceptively simple and very good.
Fantastic food and amazingly nice staff. I think going early here was key for us -- not only did we only have to wait one minute for a table, but it was early enough that the staff were friendly and unstressed. Not sure if they're always like that, but our host, server and the wine steward were polite, friendly, and knowledgeable and that is what set this experience apart from other similar restaurants we've visited lately (aka Pair).
The food? Amazing. My favorite was by far a small dish of
anchovies with boiled potatoes, soft red onion, and celery leafs. The flavors melded beautifully yet were distinct enough so that you could taste each flavor separately on your tongue. Smart use of salt and pepper. A supremely well considered dish.
The polenta was also divine. Two disks of fried polenta that were lightly browned on the top and bottom, cooked enough to momentarily resist your fork when you cut down on it. The inside was almost molten. A sauce of cream, butter, and fontina cheese that was light and verged on frothy. Again, simple but amazingly satisfying and delicious and good.
Didn't hurt that candlelight reflecting on copper makes everything look so pretty.
In love with the agnolotti. Each bit of the agnolotti was a superb punch of flavor . . . definitely the best dish of our night. am curious to explore the menu a bit more. nice atmosphere, nice service, pricey wine by the glass.
Celebrated our anniversary at How to Cook a Wolf and had a great experience! The food comes out as it is cooked and was delicious.
The service was great and everybody was super friendly and knowledgeable. I loved their housemade lemonade as well.
All together, we got 5 food items, 1 dessert, 1 cocktail, and 2 lemonades. We packed a lot of food to bring home and spent around $250 including tip and taxes.
We went here for dinner. I did make a reservation ahead of time. I took an old fashion with the bistecca. The steak was perfectly cooked and the sauce and the veggies complemented very well. I felt the salt was a tiny bit extra but otherwise great. My wife wanted to take the salmon and the pork being her second choice but they were out of both. She ended up with the gnocchi which tasted but overall she was sad for the salmon. I guess a reason to come back. We ended with the cheese cake which was pretty good.
A lovely, upscale dining experience in Seattle! I was taking here for my birthday and had an excellent experience. The portions were bigger than I expected and we left completely stuffed. The polenta fritters were one of my favorite appetizers I’ve tried.
The only downside to the meal was that the wild boar bolognese was spicier than I could handle. There was too much chili oil for my taste that overpowered its otherwise excellent flavor. Other than that, we enjoyed everything on the menu, including the pork osso bucco, panna cotta, venison tartare, and drinks.
This restaurant is at a higher price point, so be prepared for that, but it does feel worth the money.
Loved the food, drinks, service and atmosphere! We could not get enough of the watermelon mocktails. The marrow and ricotta cheesecake were also highlights.
Wow. Great food, great service, fun wine list. We sat outside. 2022 Vermentino and 2018 Barolo. We ate dessert even though we didn't need it. A lovely grappa and Kopke port.
Great restaurant with great food and servers. We really enjoyed bone marrow, risotto and the steak. Their cocktails are also well crafted. Only one downside I could think that even though there were seats available inside, we were seated outside. They have heaters tho. But I’d prefer to be seated inside while they were available. I’d recommend this place.
How to Cook a Wolf in Queen Ann Seattle is an absolute gem featuring Italian small plates and a robust cocktail & wine menu. The cuisine is rustic, bursting with flavor and texture. Each item was unique but was part of a larger culinary journey.
Chef Robin Posey delivers an absolute masterclass. From bone marrow to perfectly cooked Halibut, each dish was tantalizing yet simple.
The service was top notch. The server was attentive and helped ensure we had a wonderful experience. If you are in the area definitely give How to Cook a Wolf a visit.
We came here for our anniversary and it was a great pick!!!! The staff was marvelous and once we arrived and sat at our table they brought us complimentary champagne. What a nice surprise and totally unexpected! The waiter was great and very knowledgeable (wish I remembered his name) about the menu and had excellent recommendations which every waiter should have. We went all out since it was our anniversary. From wine, appetizers to dessert and we never get dessert. We started out with the sourdough bread with two spreads which were Nduja and bone marrow (I think). Nduja is my favorite new spread which is like an Italian salami spread. Yum! Next came the baby gem salad which was light and refreshing and just the right amount of dressing. Main course was the wild boar gnocchi and this dish was our least favorite just an average dish but still decent. We also got the pork osso buco. That meat just melted in your mouth it was so good and I didn't want it to end! The whole plate was a delight. Highly recommend!!! Lastly we ended with an espresso and cheese cake. Prefect ending to a prefect dinner! The ambiance was quaint and small so make sure to make a reservation. They have very few tables, a bar to sit at and some outdoor seating.
Always amazing. The drinks and food are just SO good. The marrow bone is always my favorite. We got the burrata, the marrow bone, the risotto, the sourdough and the halibut
Good dining experience, bartenders are great and we had some good food, the shrimp risotto and scallop pasta, bone marrow are great. The ahi crudo, however is a little too smelly, doesn't taste fresh to me. The bone marrow was pretty good, it pairs unexpectedly well with shallots jam. Two main dishes were pretty good as well. Came during the restaurant week, tried to book a reservation but didn't find available. Fortunately walk-in with bar seats available.
Me and my 2 girlfriends came up from Portland for a book signing and had made reservations with you as we’ve heard a lot of good things about your place. It did not disappoint! Everything was fantastic as well as our server Kay, who was excellent in recommending dishes.. we will absolutely be back, can’t wait for another meal with you. Thank you!!!
How To Cook A Wolf was an unexpected pleasure. The setting is casual but nice. We stood by the entry for check-in for a while before being acknowledged for our reservation, and were eventually greeted by a fellow that was very casual, almost brusque, although he seemed otherwise helpful as the evening went on. Our server was very personable, however. We got there soon after opening, so they were still setting up - we were aware of that, but other than the delayed greeting, we were all set once seated. After that start, the food and beverages were top notch, and the experience was perfect - flavors were well matched, the arrival of the different dishes awas well-paced, and at the correct temperature for each dish. The server was very responsive, helpful, and cheerful, although just as bummed out about the Mariners loss tonight as we were. We'll be returning here, for certain - well done!
My husband and I have been to the two How to Cook a Wolf locations many times, and we do really enjoy eating here. If I could give it a 4.5 stars, I would. The food is good, many dishes are excellent, but every now and then we'll get something that's like 85% the way there. Currently, they have these polenta fritters that sit on top of some whipped ricotta and honey. The dish is so close to being perfect, but it's missing something (I'd swap the regular honey for hot honey, and it would make a big difference).
Service is very friendly, but the pacing is way off. We typically order a salad, one or two small plates, and one or two larger plates. Our most recent visit, they did not give us enough time with the salad before they brought out both of the hot small plates. These plates were still all out on the table when the larger plates came out. This might not bother other people, but to me it feels odd and like I'm being rushed/don't have the opportunity to eat the food while it's still hot. It would make sense if we had a big group sharing a bunch of small plates, but when it's just two people it's pretty much impossible to finish the plates before they're bringing something else out.
Overall, we still like this restaurant and I'm sure we'll go back again.
Great Italian family style food- and as great as things could be in Seattle who’s not known of being a culinary capital to be frank. This place kind of changed my perspective on Seattle food scene (which is thankfully getting better).
Italian family style food dining experience, who knew?? Ha! Highly recommend visiting How to Cook a wolf and try some of their sharing plates. You won’t be disappointed!
My boyfriend made a reservation here for my birthday! It was definitely one of the better restaurants to celebrate a special day; the servers wished me a happy birthday when I came in, and they gave us a round of champagne/non-alcholic drinks to start for a toast! I ordered a dessert and they gave it to me with a candle to blow out. Great attention to detail! Definitely made me feel special.
The starters were also super tasty, everything we had was good. It is on the pricey end, but I think you get what you pay for
I loved the pasta I ordered.
Great atmosphere and service as well.
Visited during restaurant week and loved it! Their bread is amazing, and I particularly liked the burrata and panna cotta c:
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