Thomas Street Bistro

When I got my «steak» it was a value-​menu cheeseburger patty. On top was a single ring of bell pepper, and half of a cherry tomato on cous cous. I asked if there were any sides available. The owner said I had a nice figure and probably want to keep it. I’m not kidding.
But hey, they counted the «granache» (Carlo Rossi?) towards the $ 120 value.
(at $ 7 sales tax, cash appreciated)

I have to write this review because I’m getting tired of the farcical slams this restaurant takes. Let’s get some things straight:
If you’re in a hurry, don’t come here.
If charging it is the only way you can afford to go out, don’t come here.
If you have to pretend you can pair wines to your meal in some mystically meaningful way, don’t come here.
If you’re too picky to eat what you’re fed, don’t come here.
If you have to have a 25 square foot table to belly up to, don’t come here.
If your reason for dining out is to make friends with other diners and so you’re wigged out because the restaurant is otherwise empty, don’t come here.
If you come anyway, and then whine about it not being like Cheesecake Factory, then it’s your own damned fault for having delusional expectations AND for liking Cheesecake Factory. It’s like going to a taco truck and then whining about not being able to order a hamburger. DON’T DO IT.
All right. Now. Why do I give this place four stars? Not because it’s gourmet or haute or trendy or fusion or whatever. It’s not. It’s French-​ish cuisine, and fairly rustic but not in a designed way. The important thing here is that you get a good, hearty, filling FOUR COURSE MEAL for $ 25, and that INCLUDES tax and a normal tip. Or skip the courses and just take the main dish with soup or salad or whatever they’re serving before it, and leave for $ 15 or so. Cash, that is. No credit cards. DON’T FORGET TO BRING CASH.
You don’t get any say in your meal other than whether you want the course menu or not, and what your main dish is. Right now four kinds of crepes are on the blackboard menu, plus, if you don’t like whatever the blackboard says, you can choose between two specials that vary constantly – typically related to meat and pasta in some form. There is generally some way to navigate the four courses as a vegetarian, but not as a vegan, nor as someone who will not eat wheat or has other dietary requirements.
What do you get for $ 25? Soup has always come first the four times I’ve dined here. The past two times it was lentil soup. It’s been quite good. It’s seasoned several ways, and interestingly, it was different the two times even though it was the same basic soup. The first time had a hint of curry; the second came with a distinct overtone of cloves. The chef likes doing different things with the same dishes, clearly. You have to be up for that, okay? If you’re a control freak and want everything your way or at least the same way every time, just don’t come. That’s not how things work here. Go pay someone else a lot more to have things your way.
The appetizer/​salad/​thing has been spotty. Sometimes it’s been pretty good: a spring mix of weeds with prosciutto and cheese, everything fresh, though the cheese was just slice cheese. Other times the tomato might be bland, for example. You’re not paying the chef to throw away a lot of produce in search of perfection. Go to Mistral Kitchen for that. The appetizer is never BAD. It’s just not always excellent.
The main course will stuff you silly. It’ll be a heaping plate of something, whatever you ordered, done pretty well, with some experimentation in flavors. The cook isn’t going to fuss and fiddle with the timing so that the individual bits of everything are at perfect doneness. You’re not paying enough for that. It’s not going to be light and elegant, but neither is it going to be blunt and heavy. It will be good.
And then you’ll get some good-​sized dessert of some kind, perhaps a good cheesecake (probably plain) or slice of chocolate cake.
You can order red or white wine. No, you can’t choose a merlot versus a pinot noir versus a cabernet versus blah blah, okay? No, it’s not box wine like someone snarked, for pete’s sake – that just tells me they can’t tell the difference. It’s just decent, basic wine, and it’s maybe $ 5 a glass. I didn’t pay attention.
The atmosphere is cozy. Dim. Has «character», the kind a restaurant slides into after a very long time in business. The kind you can’t buy from an «image consultant». It’s never been busy when I went, but never quite empty, either. There are folks who are clearly regulars. The waitstaff has always been polite. The two times I’ve asked to take something home, they’ve given me a plate covered in plastic wrap, telling me I didn’t have to bring it back. Of course I brought it back.
To sum up, I come because it’s a good value and good food. I don’t mind ceding control to someone for my meal now and then; if I did I’d never go to a friend’s house for dinner. Apparently some whiners never go to friends’ houses for dinner. Anyway, you just have to buy into the way the restaurant does things. If you can’t, then don’t come. You won’t like it. I like it.

DO NOT GO, as others have pointed out, particularly if you have a coupon or any discount of any sort.
If you do go, be prepared to be talked down to or do battle. Fair warning.
We tried to use the
for lunch yesterday and the owner of
the Thomas Street Bistro was blatantly upset when we showed it to him upon arrival. We should have taken that as a hint and left but we were optimistic. After all, we did drive to Capital Hill specifically to try out this place.
When we attempted to order additional food items to meet the $ 22.50 minimum that is required to use the certificate, we were told that the kitchen is closed as he continued to seat new customers near us. We understood then that he was passive-​aggressively refusing to accept the discount.
He then informs us that he is barely breaking even as it is and when he accepts these certificates he is in the red and is losing money which to us strongly
hinted that he would prefer not to see these certificates again. Why couldn’t he have just told us that he is no longer accepting the discount? That would have been fine.
In the end we did not use our certificate, which was the draw to the bistro in the first place.
The crepes (veggie and prosciutto) were average at best (more on the egg and oily side). The ingredients tasted less than fresh. Aside from that, the main reason we go out is to have a pleasant experience. This was quite the opposite and was possibly the worse dining experience we’ve had in the last 5 yrs. It was atrocious to the point of amusement!
It doesn’t seem as thought the owner has the temperament required to be a restaurateur as he couldn’t care less about keeping up normal pleasantries and earning repeat customers.

Couldn’t ask for a better local neighbor place to ave a wonderful meal! Highly recommended place! Food and local family style eatery!

I’ve lived near the Thomas St. Bistro for a couple years, but I never checked it out until recently. I had seen the bad Unilocal reviews, but most of them seemed centered on some kind of Groupon/​Living Social snafu. Not sure what that was all about, but I was happy to ignore that and check out the restaurant for the $ 5 coffee + crêpe.
My friend and I stopped in on a Saturday morning, and had the place to ourselves for a while. The owner/​server was very hospitable, and the place gave off a sense of being in the home of an older relative. Not a bad feeling. The dishes and silverware were casually mismatched, which I found endearing, and there was 1940’s vocal jazz coming from the kitchen.
After some small talk with the owner, I ordered a veggie crêpe, and my friend ordered the prosciutto crêpe. We each had some tasty coffee as well, which was refreshed throughout.
The crepes were quite a bit larger than I expected. Mine had carrots, onions, garlic, and some other mixed vegetables, sauteed with some delicious spices. (Tarragon?) My friend’s crêpe was similar, with quite a bit of proscuitto added as well.
While we were there another couple tables filled up. My friend mentioned to the owner that her crêpe was tasty, but that she couldn’t finish it all. The owner said that he had a «special box» for neighborhood dogs that the food scraps went into. «Old world solution!» he said, laughing. I thought it was funny.
Overall, I had a good time here. I feel like something happened with this restaurant’s finances, like maybe it got into a bind with Groupon/​Living Social and couldn’t deliver the goods. It’s a shame, because I thought the restaurant was very nice. It’s a great location with nice ambiance and an inexpensive, unpretentious menu. I hope that Thomas St. Bistro gets its finances in order and sticks around.

My wife and daughter and I went once before about eight or ten months ago, and I decided to go back again just yesterday.
Both times I enjoyed the quaint atmosphere, European-​style décor, and casual friendliness of Adam, the owner. We loved the puréed veggie soup we got each time (different house-​made recipes but both were great).
Perhaps not some Seattleite’s cup of tea, but I *like* the prix fixe approach to my dining experience, where the owner suggests what to choose and/​or brings each recommended course. It was refreshing that way, though more European in style. Plus, once I identified my not eating red meat or pork, Adam gladly accommodated with other recommended choices.
If you are open to a small, bistro-​like European experience with a friendly owner, I’d recommend this place wholeheartedly!

Literally the single worst dining experience I have ever had. I don’t even mind that I gave this place my money since it now means I know without a doubt to never return. First and last time at Thomas Street Bistro.
If my visit had only consisted of the superficial disappointments (watery coffee, no menus, only my partner’s food coming out first, basic items listed not being available, quarters so cramped that I’m nearly rubbing elbows with the table next to me, dour atmosphere, items that are advertised as being included nowhere in sight, not being told until it’s time to check out that only cash/​checks are accepted, etc), then I would have never felt compelled to Unilocal; I just wouldn’t have gone back. However, the way my dining experience ended was so profoundly inappropriate, my boyfriend and I are still reeling.
By the time my crêpe arrived (which was comprised almost exclusively of onions and a single slice of zucchini and pepper), I pecked at it for a little while before offering it to my boyfriend so it wouldn’t go to waste. I really dislike onions, and there was no description of the veggie crêpe anywhere, so I figured it was my own fault for not asking in advance. I didn’t say anything about it, I didn’t make nasty faces, I wasn’t rude, disrespectful, or inappropriate by any stretch of the imagination. I just simply didn’t eat my crêpe and gave it to my partner.
Upon seeing this, the owner/​server/​only-​person-​there felt compelled to sit down at the table across from us and begin what would turn into an interaction that was upsetting and insulting in equal measure. My boyfriend and I were literally the only people in this tiny room with the owner sitting directly across from us while my guy finished up the onion-​y crêpe I’d offered to him. What at first was disguised as a light-​hearted questioning of where I am originally from turned into a thinly veiled, passive aggressive attack on my origins and how he presumes I must feel about people from other countries.
After learning that I am originally from Alabama, he smiled, shook his head, and then started this increasingly uncomfortable dialogue about how «people from Alabama» don’t like him because he’s a French immigrant and has an accent but they wont outright tell him because they’re too busy being nice and fake to his face.
It quite honestly felt like he was goading me to «admit» that I didn’t eat the food he prepared because he’s an immigrant, and I must be a xenophobe from the south, which is so far from reality that it’s astronomically upsetting to me that someone may actually presume I must think and feel that way just based off of the state I was born in!
He never outright accused me of discriminating against him because he’s from another country, but he was pointedly making this very personal case against me that, as soon as we recognized what was happening, made my boyfriend and I so uncomfortable that we laid our cash on the table, thanked him for the food, and left.
What the fuck? Thomas Street Bistro Guy, I didn’t eat your dumb crêpe because I don’t like onions, not because you’re an immigrant! I have never in my life felt so uncomfortable in any place of business, and I will never ever return to Thomas Street Bistro. Despite both the terrible online and in person reviews about this restaurant, my boyfriend and I decided to try the $ 5 coffee and crêpe deal anyway since we live just a block away.
I will very happily continue to spend thrice the amount at establishments like Oddfellows, Glo’s, Americana, etc that have nice atmospheres, great service, and don’t wildly insult their clientele with aggressive confrontations and gross assumptions about their personal views.
My experience at Thomas Street Bistro was shocking to say the least, but at least I have an entertaining service industry horror story to tell. Please stay away.

Please, PLEASE listen to all the other reviewers and spend your money and time elsewhere! I dined here for a friend’s birthday had I not read the reviews prior to going I would have been very disappointed, if not outraged. As others have noted, it is a set menu and you only get to pick your entrée.
After being seated for a while we were each given a course that consisted of a slice of unripe tomato (seriously, it was still green in the middle), a slice of pâté, and a slice of some type of spicy cheese. The owner did not take the time to ask if anyone had any dietary restrictions, so my husband and another diner both could not eat this course because they do not eat beef or pork. Needless to say, I didn’t eat the course either after the suspect tomato.
The next course was a soup that wasn’t exactly bad, but I’ve had better canned soup. The soup was extremely salty as well, which is something, because I usually drown my food in salt. However, I ate the soup with the mushy celery and stringy asparagus in it and moved on.
Finally it was time to order the main course. The server (or owner?) came around to each of us individually asking what we’d like. He said «I have steak, chicken, meat ragu pasta and savory crepes». Really that’s it? No descriptions? My husband asked what came with the chicken. His response was that he «could make potatoes, pasta or vegetables». Um, OK. So my husband ordered the chicken. I then ordered the steak and was not given any options, no questions about how I wanted it cooked or what sides I would like. Fine, whatever. My friend asked what their best dish was and was told «the steak» so steak it was! The server then spoke up and explained he didn’t like to cook it past medium-​rare because it gets tough. Fair enough, I don’t like my steak cooked past that anyway.
This is where the meal goes really bad. Our food was awful. The «steak» we ordered was not true steak, it was a cut of meat that was intended for a roast. It was also cooked past medium-​rare and, as promised, was extremely tough (I’ve posted a picture you can use as reference). The flavor was that of pot roast (yet cooked on the stove) and tasted fine, it just wasn’t a steak. If he had called it «beef» that would have fit the description. The worse part of the meal was the bed of penne pasta it was served on. I’ve had pasta that was crunchy and undercooked, I’ve had pasta that was over cooked and mushy, but never in my life have I been served pasta that was GUMMY. It was inedible. My husband who never complains about food even commented about the quality of the food (or lack thereof). His chicken was just plainly baked in the over, came out white and was seasoned with pepper and some mustard sauce. Edible, but again, nothing you couldn’t prepare at home yourself.
Another review mentioned seeing boxed wine in the kitchen and we saw it too! Another pair of diners we had with us ordered the house red and it was brought out to them already poured into their glasses. Looking beyond the server and into the kitchen we could see the box of wine sitting on the counter.
So if you want gummy pasta, tough cuts of beef, and boxed wine, this is the place for you. Oh what’s that? You don’t? Then stay as far away from this place as you can, unless you want to experience it for yourself to write your own review.

My goodness! I’m so glad I ignored the reviews here because I absolutely loved it.
Here are some things to know before you go. It’s cash only. But hey, there’s an ATM just around the corner! There’s also no menu because the dishes for the evening (aside from choosing your main course between 2 or 3 options) are already decided for you.
So if you’re a picky eater, you’re in a rush, you want constant attention from a waiter and you don’t have cash — DON’T COME HERE.
Sure, this might not be the absolute best dining experience in the city but I had a lovely time. My boyfriend and I were too lazy to cook. It was hot out, we were starving and we’d never been here before even though it’s across the street. We pop over to see what’s up and were greeted warmly by the man who I presume is the owner. We take a lovely little seat outside with views of the park and sit down to enjoy the sunshine. Service seemed slow at first but it became clear that this is intentional. Slow down, put your phone away, talk to your dinner date and have a real conversation. It reminded me a lot of my travels in France and Spain. Limited options for food but everything’s part of a packaged deal. And a cheap one at that!
For $ 20 a person we were treated to a lovely soup course, then a big salad each and a choice between a few main dishes. We also bought a bottle of wine and when the entire meal came to an end we were surprised with a cute (and rather large) dessert to share. Consider the sheer amount of food, this was a great deal. Again, it wasn’t over the top and fancy but it was cheap, it was tasty and it was right in our hood. The owner recognized my boyfriend and even ended up giving us a bit of a discount.
As we sat an enjoyed our meals a strange little parade of protestors came through the park and everyone sitting outside to eat laughed and engaged in conversation. It was fun to see our little patio area become so sociable! It was also clear that two other tables were taken up with regulars. The owner knew them by name and chatted with them for a bit. At some point there was a chance to dive into a conversation (I think their dog bumped me or something) and suddenly we were a chatty group again. We had so much fun we stayed a little longer and hung out to chat and finish our bottle of wine. It was an absolutely lovely experience and I’ll be back again for sure. Don’t give up on this place and don’t come if you’re just trying to save a buck from a daily deal. Give them a chance, don’t go because you’re only in for a deal — the real treat is taking your time to enjoy the little things. The service, the thought put into the meal, the location and the price. If you can’t spend $ 20 on a 4 course dinner then you should stay home.

Awww. I’m sad at all the bad reviews of this bistro! I’ve always had a great time there, I’ve gone once for dinner, and twice for brunch.
Important caveats for having a good experience:
1. Do not expect anything to happen quickly, or at the same time. At all. It’s one guy. He’ll cook one meal, then give it to you, then cook another. Just eat when you get your food, enjoy your company, etc.
2. Don’t have dietary restrictions.
3. Have cash.
It really reminds me of eating while traveling– you just take what you get, eat it when it comes, and really just focus on enjoying your dining companions.
I’d definitely recommend brunch over dinner. I’m actually going again on Saturday– you get a huge crêpe and coffee for $ 5. It’s really nice.
So… don’t go in expecting what you’d expect somewhere else. As long as you’re going in with that attitude you’ll have a fine time.

Okay, so I was very skeptical about dining here after all the reviews I had read. But like so many review before me I had a daily deal (two vouchers for $ 60 worth of food and drink). My mom, her friend, my bf and I went. When we arrived on a Thursday evening there was only one other couple in the room so space was not an issue (but I can’t imagine going on a night when it’s busy, you wouldn’t even be able to hear yourself think.
Anyways, they first off ask if we have a coupon after a few minutes discussing the «parking secrets of Seattle» with the server which none of us asked about. He then explains the Prix Fixe menu. Soup, Salad, and Dessert are brought out without much information of what’s included so good thing we don’t have allergies.
The waiter tells us right away as an FYI that because we have the two $ 60 vouchers our four meals will not use up all the vouchers and they can’t give cash back. That’s fine with us, and my mom’s friend decides to order a bottle of wine and asks what they have. He brings out 2 bottle or red and 2 bottles of white to choose from and oddly without labels on any of them (because that’s how they get it from the distributor).
I must admit the soup was really good, as it tasted like split pea, my favorite. The salad was bland. A few pieces of spinach with little to no dressing, a sprinkle of finely diced tomato and a few crumbles of feta.
The Entrée selections were as follows:
Veggie Risotto
Grilled Chicken Risotto
Veggie Crêpe
Smoked Salmon Crêpe (the salmon is from Alaska… umm dude we live in Seattle and the Pike Place Market is 1 mile away)
Grilled Chicken Crêpe
Homey Smoked Ham Crêpe
Mom and I both ordered the Honey Ham Crêpe, bf had veggie risotto, and friend had he grilled chicken crêpe.
The ham crêpe actually had a decent flavor, it just needed more in it. Give me some more veggies if I don’t get any side accompaniments.
Now the veggie risotto was bland and had a strange texture/​consistency. It also came with two stalks of asparagus which were a dull dull green, cold, and severely undercooked.
Dessert was a nutella crêpe with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drop or caramel sauce.
Although the food wasn’t great I wasn’t as offended and disappointed as I had expected to be when I arrived.
However, during this entire experience the waiter insists on coming up behind us, pulling up a chair, and making himself comfy to chat while we try to eat. Do you want to join us for dinner or serve us dinner as there is a difference. I enjoy a friendly funny waiter, but don’t sit down behind us to chat, it’s unprofessional and rude. While he’s making small talk my mom’s friend asks if the menu changes daily and when he says yes we ask so what would be offered tomorrow and he replies «I don’t know since tomorrow is shopping day.» Umm what, you don’t have an idea in mind? Do you just go to safeway and buys what’s on sale?
The check comes $ 92.00 for the meals, $ 38.00 for the bottle of lord know what white wine, $ 13.00 tax. $ 143.00 for crepes! Let me repeat $ 143.00 for crepes! We put out the $ 120.00 in vouchers, left $ 33.00 and walked out.
Although I wouldn’t say this was the worst food or service I’ve ever had it was certainly the most bizarre, sketchy experience. I can say that we will not be returning.

About to go on a rant!
Groupon/​LivingSocial/​etc. people! It’s not worth it!!!
So call me frugal, but I love to find a good deal on those coupon sites. Especially for new places I haven’t been to.
I guess there’s a reason why good restaurants usually don’t need to use these services.
$ 45 equaled 2 — four course meals at this place. Not too shabby. especially for a FOUR course meal.
We find the place and immediately I’m a bit alarmed by the «CASH ONLY» sign on the window, but I’m thinking «maybe they’re one of those hole in the wall gems».
sure. if coal is considered a gem.
We walk in and actually love the décor. it’s quaint, weird, kooky, off-​match, i love it.
Has a lot of character and now I am hopeful for the food.
We have a bit of trouble sitting down (had to moves around chairs and tables for us to get in) but eventually do so. On a side note — there is no way this place would pass a fire safety inspection. no. like, seriously.
We sit down and the first thing out of the waiter’s mouth is.“groupon or living social?” I replied Living Social and he immediately plops down two bowls of soup on our table.
I realized we’ll be in trouble as soon as his attitude changed with us being «coupon customers». it’s like a switch in their heads into thinking we can treat these people like shit… although that’s opposite of what they should be thinking.
anywho. we get to the appetizer. i almost laughed.
it was two slices of safeway bread. one had a slice of safeway tomato with some safeway shredded cheese. the other had a slice of safeway’s meat department’s discount salami. (i love you for all non-​food stuff, Safeway!)
I ate the salami because i love salami, but after a bite of the tomato, I didn’t continue. the owner gave us a bit of an attitude saying (verbatim) «why didn’t you finish your appetizer? tomatoes are high in anti-​oxidants you know».
I politely laughed, but was thinking «i didn’t eat it because it tastes like something a stoned person would make at home when they’re hungry».
after this, we transition into a scene where the poor waiter (hopefullly new?) is struggling to repeat the «entrees of the day» to us while it is written in huge writing on a chalkboard right behind him. he occasionally looks back to remind himself of the next one. we immediately answer the chicken capers dish and the beef crêpe so his torture wouldn’t continue. he was so nervous!
I got the beef crêpe. it tasted like domino’s pizza. not necessarily in a bad way, but the ingredients were exactly what you’d find on a sausage pizza. mozzarella, sausage, onion, mushrooms.
My date compared it to my cooking. in a bad way.
«This tastes like one of your homecooked failed attempts at something. it’s not terrible». bland and nothing special about it (we’re truthfully honest with our cooking. it’s the only way to get better!“
her chicken was better than mine, but nothing spectacular, and at this point i’m ready to get out of here.
I also forgot to mention that the wait staff was all over the place in terms of keeping track. we had 3 waiters come up to us and try to take our order even when we were already eating. no process whatsoever!
the dessert was. you guessed it. Safeway ice cream with safeway fudge sauce. disgusting… i ate it cause i love ice cream, but it’s the super cheap type of ice cream that has ice bits in it. seriously, at least get some dreyer’s slow-​churned.
at the end of it all, the waiter comes and lets me know that i only have to pay for taxes. $ 10.50. I do the math in my head and think… so that was over a $ 100 meal?
i. am. flabbergasted.
Would I go back? if the food was free.
Would I recommend it? if the food was free.

One of the most unusual dining experiences I’ve had in Seattle. My bf and I only visited to use a Dealpop voucher. Here’s what you should expect:
— tiny restaurant, tables, and personal space
— extremely dim lighting, didn’t set a romantic mood, it was just weird
— no menu, all meals are set — $ 25 for soup, appetizer, entrée, and dessert. only item you pick is the entrée (about 6 options)
— slow service and confused waitstaff
If they’re going for the French experience — they’ve nailed it by the small space and slow service. When we first sat down, I asked the waiter for a menu and he looked at me as if I were crazy. He walked off to get instructions from the cook because he didn’t seem to know how to deal with me. The cook came by and told us about the fixed menu. They served us soup and then an appetizer. The soup was pretty good, but nobody told us what the soup was or the main ingredients. I think it’s critical to let customers know what they’re being fed, in case of extreme allergies. The entrees were pretty good, not spectacular, but surprisingly good given the experience. For dessert, we got cheesecake that was clearly store bought. There was little effort to make it look any different from a frozen cheesecake from Costco. It tasted fine, except for the random cocoa powder sprinkled over apricot and raspberry cheesecakes, really?
Overall, the food was okay, service was unusual, and atmosphere was quiet and dull. No plans to come back here at all. I expected a bad experience as I’ve seen this restaurant pop up on all of the different coupon services multiple times. It’s a pretty clear indicator that they’re having difficulties retaining customers.

I was excited to try this place and thought it would be a new romantic spot for the bf and I.
I did have a DealFind voucher. I paid $ 35 for a 4-​course meal for two. MIS-​TAKE.
Now, I have seen that TSB runs deals on every single collective coupon group so I would have thought that they would have this down, but I was wrong.
Christmas night, reservations made, our first experience here.
First to arrive, small as indicated.
Our server asked us which deal we had and I told him the $ 70 value. He asked if it was the full $ 105 voucher and I indicated no (this comes up later).
The one soup is brought out. It was a roasted vegetable purée with rice. It was nice but without a doubt, the smallest bowl of soup I have ever received in a restaurant. A small piece of bread accompanied it.
Followed by the one tiny salad they offered. Wow, I had 12 pieces of field greens in my bowl. TWELVE. Guess the boxes of salads at Costco were sold out since it was Christmas and they were making the most of the last one. Canned Mandarin oranges, bottled raspberry vinaigrette, was that feta cheese completely covering my 12 pieces of lettuce? Either way, blech.
Finally, the one thing I did order arrived. I had the smoked salmon pasta and the bf had the beef dish.
My salmon had a nice flavor. I later found out it was pickled then smoked. But there wasn’t nearly enough and way too much sauce.
My poor bf’s dish was another story…
Icky, grisly, fatty meat, stewed to the point where there was no flavor, coated in the thickest, odd flavored sauce, mushy pasta (I couldn’t even tell what shape) and a few bits of zucchini.
Lemon cheesecake brought without option.
Btw, neither of us like cheesecake, especially store bought.
Then the bill came. Guess what? They had charged us for the $ 105 special based upon the 10% tax they charged us.
I tried to get them to correct it but finally just deducted the difference out of the tip I left.
No music, unclean bathroom (Scrubbing Bubbles on the back of the toilet, classy touch), no choices, overpriced food, mediocre wine (two choices, white or red).
A note on the window that states meals are only $ 12.99 for a three-​course meal (guess I could have skipped the dreadful «salad» or the cheesecake I don’t like) so, had I NOT bought the DealFind deal for $ 35 I could have saved $ 9!
Look, I love Living Social, Groupon, etc but sometimes a deal isn’t a deal at all.
This is one of those times. My only hope is that DealFind will refund me for the other two vouchers I mistakenly purchased with this one.
Blech, meh, not so much…
Catch my drift?
It IS small, though…

Thomas Street Bistro claims to be the smallest bistro in Seattle, allow me one up that claim– Thomas Street Bistro is the smallest bistro in the WORLD!
A few things struck me right away when I looked up their website:
1) they claim not to take reservations, that is not a positive when you only have 10 tables.
2) they won’t accept credit cards after the Jan 1, 2012.
3) they want you to tell them when you are making a reservation (that you’re not allowed to make) if you are using a Groupon or similar type deal. What is that? Are they going to make your meal 50% smaller? Are they going to seat you in the washroom?
The service was not good. We felt like we were imposing getting our order in, our waiter kept ignoring our request for drinks to seat new people coming in, then taking later arrivals orders before ours and got huffy when the missus called him on it. The waiter and owner have a haphazard tag team approach to table service; orders and service items get lost in the sauce.
The meal automatically comes with two appetizers; mini bowl of soup, a sliver of bread with a smear of cheese on it and a tiny wedge of cheesecake dessert– you pick the entrée. I picked the salmon curry which sounded way better than what arrived. The salmon looked and tasted like it was from a tin and the flavor was lost in the tomato/​curry sauce. The table next to us, nearly sitting in our laps the place was so small, had to send their chicken breast back because it was still pink. Yikes!
There is live entertainment nightly. That blew me away because basically you have to raise your hands above your head and shimmy sideways to get to your seat. That night there was a belly dancer. She was offsetting the shortcomings of T.S.B. and really worked the few square inches of space she had. I was charmed and danced with her when she beckoned me up. I was having a pretty good time dancing with this lass– when wouldn’t you know it– someone threw the door open to enter and hit me right in the spine with the corner of the door. That hurt and sealed the deal, that was my last visit.

My second time here. Can’t remember what i had the first time but i remember it being better. Had a buywithme deal, so a standard 4 courses plus a bottle of wine. At least the wine was good…
–Vegetable soup to start: was surprisingly yummy. Sadly, the best part of the meal
-«salad» came as a little slice of a roll, a couple cheese crumbs and a quarter piece of prosciutto — are you effin’ kidding me!!!
–I had the rigotoni and bf had the salmon spaghetti — both were mediocre.
–Dessert was a few slices of bananas thrown into a cup with random shit from the kitchen mixed in. DISGUSTING! Couldn’t tell if it was a raisin or bugs… maybe some coconut flakes (like 5) and some weird semi-​sweet sauce.
I understand that you are a small business, but if you can’t afford it, you shouldn’t keep doing these groupon deals. I had a great experience the first time, which is why I came back a second time and brought friends. But this second experience was AWFUL and I will never come back.

I am so sad to have to slash my review from five stars to two, but it has to be. When I first discovered this place three years ago I fell in love with it. It was a one-​man operation. The owner was both your very genial server and the cook. The food was good and obviously prepared with care, and the atmosphere was right out of Paris, laid back and intimate.
Over the last few years, word obviously spread about the Thomas St. Bistro. Each time I returned, it was a bit more crowed, and the owner was running a bit more. About two years ago a server appeared, and the owner was less present, and shortly after that a guitar player also appeared. I still loved this place because the food was good and the atmosphere was still super-​romantic and European.
Then I went back last night, and was horrified. The first question I (and every guest) gets asked is ‘are you using a coupon tonight.’ Not too romantic. The place is packed, and there is a line of people out the door. Too many reservations, not enough space. Turns out that what used to be a great little restaurant, tucked away off the beaten path, has turned itself into a massive groupon/​travel zoo/​living social machine, churning the bargain-​seekers through as fast as possible. The food is not nearly what it used to be, either in flavor or presentation, and the atmosphere is not relaxing at all. I don’t know if I will ever go back. I certainly won’t go back until well after the groupon coupons have run their course. I guess it’s a good thing for the owner to have so much business, but I doubt that he’s going to be getting much repeat business anymore. It’s very sad.

CREEPY. My 2^nd attempt at eating at this little weird place and I am asking Groupon for a refund.
Time #1: We called and called to try to get a reservation. NO ONE ANSWERED THE PHONE. EVER. We got to the restaurant at 9pm on a Saturday and they told us the restaurant was closed at 9pm. You’re kidding, right? A new restaurant closing at 9pm ON A SATURDAY?
Time #2: After calling and calling again to try to get a reservation, we tried once more to just show up. My girlfriend sat in the car while I ran up to see if I needed a reservation. The owner asked if I was would be eating with them tonight. Me: «Yes, please.» Owner: Well, we are full as you can see.” I turned and saw three empty tables inside which he explained it was much too hot inside. I checked. He was telling the truth… It was nearly 85 degrees or more INSIDE. So I asked if I could make a reservation for later in the evening and he stares at me blankly. And stares and stares. I figured maybe a language barrier was to blame so I asked again «Sir, can we get a table later? Blank weird stare. «Sir, can we eat here or not?» and he responds, «Well, as you can see we are full, if you’d like to brave the inside you can.»
It was like the most surreal SNL-​like skit ever. He stared like he either couldn’t understand me or had fallen deeply in love with me. I seriously got the creeps.
With this kind of horrible experience just trying to get seated, I can’t fathom what the experience would be like with that dude hovering over our table on the patio.
If you bought a coupon to eat there, either act now or get a refund. This place will be gone in less than 6 months.

I’m so torn on this place, and really I feel quite bad for them. It’s obvious that the owner is trying, but the business is struggling — I have seen deals for this restaurant on literally every coupon site, from Living Social to Groupon to Seattle Weekly deals. The concept behind the bistro is quite lovely, and I do want them to succeed. However, it seems like this is a place most people love or hate, and the majority seem to hate it. I can understand why.
It’s tiny and the tables are very close together. It’s fine if the diners are all respectful of one another’s space and conversations, but if there is one loud talker in the room, it ruins everyone’s experience. I don’t mind the squeeze, as I thought the place was cute and cozy and I liked the mismatched servingware and cutlery.
The food… the previous reviewer is absolutely right, Bistro needs to hire a chef. A good one. The menu is very limited — nothing like you see on the website. There were about four dishes when we went, and only one of them seemed appealing to me. I like that you get a three-​course (not four courses, like some diners got) meal for a set price — it softens the blow of the steep price tag on the menu. It’s a nice idea. We had a vegetable purée soup that was nicely spiced with a good amount of heat. For the main course, we both got a pasta with chorizo, and while decent, it was so plain. It wasn’t bad by any means but it was something I could have whipped up at home and I’m no chef. For dessert, a tiny slice of cheesecake that most definitely came from QFC or Safeway.
Dear Thomas St Bistro, if you are struggling, it isn’t because your prices are too steep. Lowering them is not the answer. The answer is to hire someone who’s creative in the kitchen, expand the menu and start making dishes from scratch or buying desserts from local bakeries and the like. I feel for you and I want you to succeed. Until then, I’ll come back to use my remaining deal for wine and dessert.

It’s cozy and unique.
The place is tiny so if you are claustrophobic this place is probably not for you.
The food isn’t spectacular, but it’s not bad either.
I’d have to say the salmon mash potatoes are very different indeed.
The service was good and the owner was very friendly.
They charged us for a glass of wine that was suppose to be complimentary.
Go figure!
The prices are a bit pricey for what you get… so not sure if I’d come back here again.