A month after Beato Food & Wine opened in the ex-O2 space on Cali between the Admiral and Alaska Junctions, its website is finally up, including links to its food and wine menus. (And the home page tells you twice how to pronounce Beato. Hint — it’s not “beet-oh.”)
I recommend you check the website before trying it for the first time. We weren’t able to do that when we went there last month, and did not realize it was a VERY small plate, slow dining experience — with emphasis on drinking lots of wine. My husband has some serious health issues, and needs to eat quickly and can’t drink, so it didn’t suit us at all. We left hungry, stressed out, and quite a bit poorer. I miss O2.
Just checked the website. Nice site, food menu looks quite interesting, but wait…every wine on the list is over $100. Not sure this is on our list.
$100 to drink wine In West Seattle? That’s got to be a joke? They won’t be around long..
My wife and I went to Beato on their opening day. We were really looking forward to having an authentic Italian Osteria in West Seattle. In Italy an Osteria is a down to earth place that serves simple, but well executed food and great wine at very reasonable prices.
Beato’s food we thought was excellent. The problem was that they served the smallest portions we’ve ever seen on the West Coast. In order to not leave the restaurant still hungry (and we are both not big eaters) you would have to order an appetizer, a pasta dish (primi) and an entrée (and possibly dessert). Generally, we love to have a little bit of each, but that would put the bill to around $40-45 per person (without wine). Add a glass of wine or two per head (they have wines per glass) and you are up to around $160. That is not what an Osteria is all about…
Its greed all the way around. I don’t care how good the food is. I’d get better entertainment at a cheaper price at Ricks if you know what I mean.
Thanks Eric,
we love La Rustica and spent several summer evenings on their patio. In addition to the food that place also has tons of character.
We hoped Beato would be more of a neighborhood wine bar featuring an assortment of appetizers and pasta dishes. The kind of place you pop into after work to meet some friends and hang out. Instead it became something that would probably fit into the upper Eastside in Manhattan, but most certainly not West Seattle. Maybe the rumored Uruguayan wine bar on the corner of Oregon and California will be become what we are looking for.
the majority of the bloggers are all a joke
be more a food friendy person and enjoy
this is my first post i usaully only read these post and not write about them thank god i’m not one of you
i personally enjoy eating at beato
have a lovely day and don’t be too cheap
Why would you go to a place that serves small portions for a BIG price? Its West Seattle for crying out LOUD!! Are they trying to raise the bar in West Seattle? Have you checked what the average income tax bracket resident living in West Seattle falls under lately? I think you might want to open up in Medina instead. But I am curious and will probably one day see what its about but only if I have a lock and chain on my wallett.
bloggers are a joke? lol…Hey I’m just being me and real. I odn’t need to put on a second face and will tell it like it is.
My experience at Beato was very positive. Gracious service, excellent food, nice ambience. We went on New Year’s Eve, and everyone received a complimentary champagne flight. Not bad! I don’t know where everyone is seeing $100 bottles of wine. My only complaint: Not enough vegetarian dishes. But it’s nice to see a new place with some individuality, not another chain.
Lonerider, I can’t weigh in on this restaurant, but it sounds like it’s the joke and I’m sure many of us will sulk this evening knowing that you’re not like us. Note to Lonerider: use the shift key ever now and then….you type like a first grader!
Coincidently, the wine list available earlier today on Beato.com got pulled and replaced with an “under construction†page. Maybe the owner does read the WS blog…
To be fair, when we had Dinner at Beato I thought there were several options well below $100. They probably realized their mistake and took it down to correct it. That said, we thought their wine prices also were on the high side for what they were offering, but maybe we’re just cheap and need to loosen up and live a little..
There is a thread on Chowhound.com that covers Beato as well: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/353240.
I like having more choices for upscale dining in West Seattle, but not everyone has 2-3 hours or $150 to spare on a weeknight (when we went). We clearly should not have gone when we were hungry, tired and not drinking. The quality of the food and presentation was quite good, though — so if that’s your thing, go for it. But we won’t be back unless they add full-sized dinner options.
I do apologize for my less then stellar typing skills. I completely forgot that blogging was the same as being a professional and respectful journalist who gets paid to know the art of dining and critiquing restaurants. No, Beato is not cheap and there are great meals to be had for little money out there, but that’s not a fair critique for how f***ing awesome a pork jowel salad with a glass of pinot negro or any other amazing wine that you simply cannot get anywhere in this city. Sooo worth it.
Can you taste that? I didn’t think so.
Much improved on the typing. Thank you and now a classic wine joke….what’s the diffference between a bottle of $150 bottle of wine and a cup of urine?
The container!
My husband and I went to try it out during the opening week. Brandon (the owner) is wonderful and we enjoyed everything. The plates were quite small compared to what we are used to but geez…they just opened! Give them a chance…there will be some adjustments, I’m sure!
Good Afternoon-
I do apologize for the error on the web site. We do offer bottles of wine starting at $29 as well as glasses that start at $7. Our site will be updated with the wine list shortly. Thank you for your patience.
I’ve actually eaten there multiple times, as it’s in my neighborhood. I have also lived in Italy recently. And as someone who loves all things Italian–food, wine, culture, people–I absolutely love Beato. It may be a bit more upscale than what West Seattle is used to, but damn!, it’s about time!!
The food is not “authentic” Italian, but it definitely seems to be inspired by what makes Italian food so good–simplicity combined with fresh ingredients.
As a lover of Italian wine, it’s definitely one of (if not The) best Italian wine lists in Seattle. There are things on there that you can’t get anywhere else in this city. And the prices are quite reasonable, some I would say are even a steal for restaurant prices.
So, if what you want is giant over-sauced portions and a crappy wine list, go to Angelina’s. But if you really enjoy quality food and an amazing selection of wine, give Beato a chance.
I went to beato for the first time a couple of weeks ago and was quite impressed. Since I don’t know much about Italian wines I was excited to try something new. They offered a wine flight for $19 which I believe changes weekly, which is a good alternative if you find the bottles too expensive. It includes 4 different wines to taste. The portion sizes were refreshing after rolling out of O2 or Ovio after a shared appetizer and an entree. I like to try many things so sharing an appetizer and a pasta and then having my own entree was perfect. I will return, hopefully many times.
Yay for the smaller portions! We eat too much anyway :) The wine flights are fantastic too.
I love the smaller portions at Beato. The food is great and it’s fun to be able to explore the menu with a primi, pasta and secondi. I tried the wine flight and found a very unique wine that was so distinctive I went to Esquin and bought two bottles. West Seattle needs every level of dining experience from the hole in the wall, to Beato. If you want large portions go to Claim Jumper, but leave lovely Beato just the way it is.
Hey Jiggers,
Why are you so aggressive? You make blanket claims about the people that own the restaurant and complain about something that you appear not to have even tried. When you actually go to the place and try it out then give your opinion.
Bloggers are not a joke, just self righteous, pompous fools that love to complain about anything different. (like yourself)
For the record, I wasn’t saying I favor Claim Jumper, Angelinas or Olive Garden over Beato (I’ve only tried one of those, anyhow). When leaving, the Beato hostess inquired how we liked our meal. When I honestly explained how and why we were disappointed, she replied that “it isn’t Olive Garden.†I lived in San Francisco most of my adult life, and also dined in Napa regularly, so I’ve had my fair share of great meals — both hearty meals and “tasting menus.†But obviously there are many here that have a much more sophisticated dining palate than mine.
I really wish the restaurant well. I’m sure they will do great as they seem to have already found many loyal customers. It’s nice to have lots of choices in West Seattle. I just thought it would be good for diners to know what to expect beforehand, in case Beato does not offer the type of dining experience they are looking for.
Wow- MFishpaw you sure do seem angry. Maybe it is just not the right restaurant for you:( I have dined at Beato on numerous occasions and have always had a positive experience. The waitstaff have always been very pleasant and accomodating and have helped me choose good wine (not expensive by the glass) and dinner. I especially love the beet carpaccio and the ox tail ragu. I was pleasantly surprised to find the chicken (usually a boring dinner option) to be quite exciting and tasty! I have always left feeling satisfied but NOT stuffed. I agree that some might want portions that are a little larger but the sizes were perfect for me and my friends. Also, I did not leave with an enormous bill. If I remember correctly, there is no entree on the menu for over $20. Anyway, I say Bravo to this small osteria that is trying to do something different. MFishpaw, if I were you, I would wait a few months and give it another chance….you might be pleasantly surprised:)
Beato is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Seattle. I can still taste the amazing guanciale salad I had there last time. It’s a classy kitchen serving up very classy food. Service isn’t slick, but it is knowledable and quite acceptable. My only criticisms? I hate that the wine flight glasses come on a wineglass holder. Tacky. Also, as a former pastry cook, the desserts need some rethinking. The flavors are mostly there, but there is a fundamental lack of texture and temperature variations, which is so important in desserts. Not bad, just not up to the level of the rest of the menu.
All in all, very highly recommended. This is some of the best food in Seattle.
This food is excellent, as was the service. Maybe the Olive Garden IS the place for bloggers focused on “portion” and “price.” Give this charming place a chance. It is something special.
Great food and service. But if price and portion are the primary concern, the waiter/waitress was on to something with The Olive Garden. You can even get all the breadsticks and salad you want! Eating at this kind of place is about delicious food and wine, not getting stuffed for the best rate. I’ll go again and again and keep raving about it to my friends.
I can’t believe people are still trying to berate my honest comments about our experience at Beato! I already said this is a good restaurant for those looking for a “gourmet” type dining experience, and those fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a leisurely pace for dining. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for someone on chemotherapy and multiple medications. Olive Garden doesn’t work either (I suppose, never eaten there), since a healthful diet is also important. Geesh. Be thankful you have a choice.
Here is the link to the review of the restaurant in The Seattle Times.
http://edb.seattletimes.nwsource.com/ae/scr/edb_vd.cfm?ven=44653&s=st
My wife and I and two other couples ate at Beato on February 13th and had a wonderful dining experience. With antipasta and appetizers we enjoyed separate white wines by the glass and then with our individual ensalda, primi, secondi and dolce we had a couple bottles of Rossi Vino that our waiter suggested we try. Two days later we were on our way to Cabo and we could not wait to return home to go back to Beato. Well, it’s February 28th, we just got and we will be eating there on date night, tomorrow, Thursday. Yum-o!!
Hey, why are you all so negative around here? I personally enjoyed Beato, though they are a little pricey. They had excellent service and a wonderful atmosphere. Learn to live Jiggers.
Went last Friday because of the great review. The place really lived up to Ms. Leson’s words. Not only was the food wonderful (I had the tuna-YUM), but the atmosphere makes it even better. We could actually carry on a conversation without shouting. It has a very nice feel.
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