Messina

Review summary

1. C

   Corinne

   Seattle2 reviews

   2.0

   Dined today

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 1

   Concept of the pasta board and presentation is awesome, but food itself is just so so. Service was extremely slow. We waited 30 minutes alone just for the boxes and the bill.
   

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2. P

   Patrick VIP

   Alabama3 reviews

   1.0

   Dined today

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   Beware. You are on a 1.5 hour time clock to eat and get out. That coupled with a mandatory 22% tip leaves the service and food quality below bar. 10/10 do not recommend.
   

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3. T

   Tom VIP

   Seattle54 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Messina always has excellent food. The presentation is a great introduction to a wonderful dining experience. Thomas was our server tonight and he was great.
   

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4. E

   Erin VIP

   Seattle11 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on March 23, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   The pasta flight is fun and delicious! We also had salads and broccolini, and everything was yummy. The service was OK, nothing special but not bad, and the atmosphere is a bit incongruous. However, the homemade pastas make it an obvious go-to whenever we go to Seattle Center.
   

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5. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Seattle3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on March 23, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   My husband and I came back to Messina for a date night before the ballet at McCaw Hall, and it was just as memorable—if not more—than our first visit on their opening night back in December 2023. This place has truly found its rhythm. We ordered the trio pasta dinner, which was perfect for sharing. It felt like a sampler, but the portions were generous—we had plenty left over to take home. We also shared the Caesar salad and the garlic bread, both of which were excellent. For dessert, we split the tiramisu and the pistachio gelato, and honestly, both were incredible. A sweet and satisfying way to wrap up the meal. As someone from the South, I noticed they don’t offer sweet tea (understandable), but their house-brewed iced tea was really refreshing—not the typical soda-machine stuff, which was a pleasant surprise. Service was warm and attentive, and the atmosphere felt lively and upscale without being stuffy. It does get a little loud inside—likely due to the tall ceilings and acoustics—but we were still able to enjoy our conversation. Messina is a gem near Seattle Center and makes for a perfect pre-show dinner. We’ll definitely be back!
   

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6. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Washington DC1 review

   5.0

   Dined on March 22, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   The food was amazing. We got a pasta board and were so happy with it. The garlic aioli that comes with the bread service is maybe the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. But please note they is a 22% service fee that I didn’t notice until a friend brought it to my attention, after they took the bill and return a credit card recipe with the place to add a choice of a 20%, 25% or 30% tip, on top of the bill and a the service fee. Seems a little shady, so be aware.
   

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7. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Portland1 review

   3.0

   Dined on March 21, 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 4

   Great food - our group had salads, pasta, and the lamb. All delicious! Service was poor. Salads and entrees came together. We had to ask for salad plates. Both servers seemed irritated. Manager offered to comp us but we had already paid. Said she would come back to give us a discount for next time and never did. We visited once before and had a great time - service has declined since then.
   

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8. MM

   MegM VIP

   Seattle4 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on March 19, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 3

   Overall, the experience was positive. The food was undeniably good. Great options and good veggie options. For a slow night, the bar was oddly slow - food timing was pretty good. Service in general was fine. An unfortunate thing was that we made a reservation and with a half full restaurant, clearly with mostly walk-ins, they gave us a crappy, dark table in the back. There were empty tables in the sunny front portion. Maybe just a pet peeve when restaurants don’t give priority seating to their pre-bookings but it seems obvious to me.
   

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9. SF

   SharsFine

   Seattle7 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on March 16, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Short rib pasta was incredible! Great experience!
   

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10. R

    Renee

    Atlantic Canada1 review

    3.0

    Dined on March 16, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2

    Pretty good but I think the food is overpriced for the experience. It feels like they are trying to be fancy but the ambience is just not there. We also did not have good service, we ordered prosecco and they brought a room temperature bottle and the server could barely open it. We then had to ask for an ice box for the bottle because it was just left on the table. The table next to us got their food before the glass of wine they had ordered. When our food was brought to us by the expo he didn't even know what the pasta dishes were called and did not ask if we wanted any pepper or anything. Our server did not check in while we were eating to see if we were good. The food was good but the experience was not and it was over priced for the vibes. Would not go back.
    

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