Brad’s Swingside Cafe

It was Amazeballs, truly truly amazballs

Good delicious pastas — perfect texture and creative ingredients all around. That’s not why we come here though, this place is iconic for the eclectic art on the walls, the roaming animals (dogs not cats during my visit — rather clean dogs at that), and the family feel of the place. Brad came to sit and talk with us, he had a lot on his mind to share… not all of it necessarily coherent but entertaining nonetheless. It’ll be a loss for Fremont to see it close… maybe it’ll have a Paseo-​like comeback. who knows down the road…

I adore this restaurant. I just learned it is closing in February and so sad and going to ensure I hit it up MANY times in the next few months. The aglio olio is amazing. Mmmm!!!

Being a Chicagoan, I’ve had my share of amazing Italian food. Ate dinner here 2 weeks ago only because we forgot cash for Paseo. Reading the reviews of this place, I was expecting a lot only to be disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, the ambiance is really cool and very homey feeling. Almost reminded me of Buca di Beppo with all the vintage decorations. However, the food was flat out gross. The calamari was literally swimming in olive oil with there being more spinach than calamari. We also ordered the chicken stuffed risotto only to find out that they ran out of chicken and changed it to rabbit last minute. Unfortunately, we had no choice, but to eat it since it was already made. The rabbit was also full of bones, which was disgusting and difficult to eat. Water was also warm, which I hate. Our waiter also wasn’t pleasant at all and when we asked for suggestions, he wasn’t helpful at all. For the two dishes we ate, we spent almost $ 50 on low grade food, which shouldn’t have been worth that much since the quality of the food was below average. I don’t recommend this place to anyone and won’t be eating here when I visit Seattle again. You can find me across the street waiting in line at Paseo.

We travel all the way from Bellevue to dine at Brad’s on a regular basis. Wonderful Sicilian fare. Great and generous potpourri of fresh seafood in the seafood Farfalle and Seafood Puttanesca. Sardinian Lamb and Venison Fricasse is also excellent. My husband ‘a favorite is the Pollo Alla Brindisi due to its nice rich flavor with lots of body and depth. Some of our friends just can’t resist or even deviate from their all time favorite Aglio Olio, which is Brad’s signature dish ! Enjoy!

The food was delicious, but the service we received ended up in my husband essentially being poisoned. He has severe Celiac’s and we came here because they boast about being gluten free friendly. Our server was completely nonchalant about it saying, «yeah… Yeah, I think so.» For anyone who has Celiac’s this is the last type of response you want from your server. After being asked to verify that it was indeed gluten free, he brought the dish out without confirming. My husband again asked if he checked to see if it was gluten free and specifically said that he gets really sick. Same response. Trusting that he would not be lied to or intentionally poisoned my husband ate his meal (which was unfortunately amazing). He is now dealing with a severe reaction. So, if you are planning on going here because it is gluten free friendly, or to check it out before it closes, think twice.

I’ve only been here once but need to return soon. The food was great and service was excellent.

What a hidden treasure! We had a birthday party dinner for my wife here — the private room in the back is perfect for 12 – 14 people, Brad is a wonderful host that worked with us on a family style menu and some adoptions for people with food allergies. We had some tight timeframes and Brad’s team worked perfectly to fit our needs. Could not have had a better experience. The food was all excellent, we got rave reviews from our guests, and many will be back!

Brad’s Swingside Café is as northwest an institution as wearing socks with sandals and forgetting that your car has a horn, when people are trying to make a left turn onto a one-​way street that goes right. (THAT’s also pretty Seattle.) Brad’s is small, it’s intimate, it’s homey, and it has a long-​haired cat that runs free in the restaurant.
Yes. A long-​haired cat that’s NOT part of the menu (that would be more East Coast gauche than West Coast chic). I’ve been to Brad’s three times in my life — the first two about 5 to 10 years ago — each featuring a fat and insolent cat, as well as the Chef (Brad) arguing loudly with someone, while our server was whispering a running commentary on what the argument was about. That was our entertainment portion of the meal.
Ten years later, the space is still the same — a small house-​like setting with terrible acoustics when the space fills up — friendly, homey service, and so much food that you couldn’t take it home with you, even if you tried sticking it in every orifice of your body.
I think Brad’s Swingside exists because of its loyal clientele, the existence of Fremont, and solid Italian food, which is priced slightly lower than other Italian restaurants. It’s not gourmet, it’s not fancy, it’s not pretty nor inventive, but it’s a solid neighborhood place to get your Italian fix. Our wine pours were enormous — think wine glass filled to the brim — and we were offered FREE re-​pours (because our entrees took more than half an hour to arrive). Nothing fancy, just pasta and meat.
The dishes are a bit on the greasy side, and shooing a cat off of my seat harkens back to the days of eating at night market foodstalls in Asia and shooing away mangy-​looking stray cats. Not that Brad’s cat is mangy, but besides the usual, «This dish may contain nuts and is not suitable for those with allergies» listed on the menu, there should also be a «This premises contains felines and may not be suitable for those with cat allergies.

So disappointed. I’m just going to share the email that I sent to them the day after our experience. I gave them a week to respond, but they didn’t. Not that I’m surprised. Here ya go:
I would normally call to tell you this story, but I don’t want to risk losing my composure. I’d like to share the experience we had at your restaurant last night before we decide not to come back again. A week and a half ago, I made 7:30 reservations for my wife and I to have Valentines day dinner at Brad’s. Since we have eaten there several times in the past, we were looking forward to good food and a nice evening. When we arrived at 7:30, there was a line out the door. After a few minutes I was able to get the attention of the hostess, (name withheld), who confirmed our reservations and understandably told us that it would be a while before we could be seated. We told her that that wouldn’t be a problem and we could go to a neighboring establishment and have a drink while we waited instead of crowding other diners in the doorway. She was very thankful and took down my phone number, assuring us that she would call as soon as a table was available. We went to Ha! and ordered a drink. After a half hour had passed, we wondered if we had been forgotten about so we called and no one answered, so we tried calling again at 8:14, again at 8:21, and finally got through at 8:32 to a gentleman who would not offer any help or explanation. At this point, not being able to make reservations anywhere else, we decided to go back to your restaurant to find out what happened. A dismissive male server told us that our name had been crossed off the reservation list. My wife, now hungry and frustrated to tears, no longer thought Brad’s deserved our business and since it was almost 9:00 at this point we had no time to eat because of our other evening plans. Our experience there cast a shadow over the rest of our night. So, tonight we are going to go out and have a nice dinner at a restaurant that won’t punish us for trying to be helpful.
I’m not sure why I am even bothering to write this email, but as a business owner I would want to know why I am losing the business of a long time customer.
–Derek M.

I have never had a disappointing experience at Brad’s Swingside Café and perhaps that’s why we prefer it for special occasions and entertaining guests. Nice wines, rather large portions of well prepared food. I seem to always find the service affable and attentive.

We had great service and delicious food and wine. I wouldn’t give a tiramisu a five star, just a four, but everything else gets five.
We went a little after 8pm, so there were only a few diners, and later some dogs, who we enjoyed immensely. We got a great wine recommendation, and I think everyone one of the staff we saw said something friendly to us.
I am one of those diners that almost always has questions for the waiter. I’m indecisive, a vegetarian and frugal. Our waiter chose all the write things, and was very quick, warm and friendly, as if I wasn’t irritating or putting a lot of pressure on him. ;)
The pesto is amazing, as good as I’ve had. Their menu is small, but it had everything I need. Pesto, wine, tiramisu and espresso.

Really really really good. Great little cozy atmosphere, great service, great food. Fantastic place for a date or a nice conversation with people you don’t see often. Get some wine, get a starter, get some tasty pasta. My favorite is absolutely the Pollo alla Brindisi. Any leftovers make me super duper happy the next day.
I’ve been here half a dozen times over the past 4 years and have been very happy with the experience each time.

This has been a good restaurant and a local favorite for years, but time has caught up with this hometown favorite.
We went with friends who are semi-​regulars and light eaters; they wanted to pass on the appetizers and they were right: The entrees are too large, which is a problem; basically, it made dinner an entrée and a shared dessert, which isn’t my idea of a nice night out for dinner. If we had ordered appetizers, there would have been three take-​home boxes instead of one (I can eat!).
The food is fine, but our three dishes (two of us had the same thing) were visually indistinguishable from one another, piled into a large bowl. Perhaps the next time, we’ll do it family-​style.
Here’s the thing: with all the nice new places opening up all around town, what used to be a charming atmosphere is now tired and dated. Also, if we’d been served smaller portions that were more visually appealing, we’d’ve probably added appetizers and maybe a couple of desserts to the bill, paid a bit more, and enjoyed the whole evening a lot more.
Well, except for the dogs. As we were finishing up, a couple of dogs who must belong to the owner or manager were let loose to roam the dining room, putting their beaks on the table and nosing up on our trousers and skirts.
Oh, well. I remember that the food used to be better, and dinner here was a lot more fun. Right now, the food is three stars, the dogs coming to my table is one star, and the atmosphere is two stars.

I’ve now been to Brad’s at least a dozen times in three years, and the only thing I can say is that it is wildly inconsistent except in one regard: the service is pretty much always terrible. And last night’s Valentine’s dinner would rank much lower than three stars were it not for all my prior visits. A few occasions, it has been a five star meal, some s four, last night’s was a three star meal, but a one-​star in service.
We were seated promptly at the time of our reservation, but without menus. A couple was immediately sat next to us, and given menus, but when I tried to get the hostess’s attention she just ran off. I wasn’t concerned by this, but when I asked our waiter for menus, he gave me a dirty look made a remark to indicate just how busy he was, and then set some down. That pretty much set the tone.
The menu was more limited than usual, something I wished had been explained at the time we booked as my favorite regular meal was not available. We ordered wine and appetizers, and the waiter headed off and returned with the bottle. Without even presenting it to us (which I really could care less about), he stuck the bottle *between his legs* and pulled out the cork. I couldn’t believe it. There are plenty of wine tools that allow one-​handed cork removal, this guy should invest the $ 5 in one. He then poured us each a sip and then took off with the bottle. We were confused, but he just started bussing tables with our wine in hand. He brought it back and I tried to make a joke about it, but again he just wanted to tell me how busy he was. Dude, I get it — Valentine’s Day. But we’re paying for service too. We put in our entrée order
Appetizers were delicious, especially the Mediterranean cheese plate. But the waiter kept hovering trying to scoop up our dishes. We weren’t even close to done, so his presence was a bit unnerving. But after we finished the apps, and started our second glass of wine, we waited. And waited.
It took 45 minutes for our entrees to arrive from the time we ordered. Now, they were piping hot, so they were definitely cooked to order, but if you have a limited menu, why the delay? But this is the first time I can say that I was legitimately unimpressed with Brad’s cooking (on one other occasion I had the same reaction only to learn Brad wasn’t there that night). My beef stew with root vegetables was more mushrooms than meat, and for some odd reason had a pea pod and chunk of zucchini thrown in. My girlfriends tagliatelle was kind of bland and the meat was flavorless — not like the boar & venison plate I usually order.
So will I go to Brad’s again? Probably. But I’m growing weary of paying over $ 100 for dinner for two to be served by impatient and unprofessional waiters in dirty t-​shirts and jeans. Time to class things up… just a bit.

My Wife and I took family here for a birthday and I was really glad we ended up here. The night was so cold outside and we had been extremely bummed trying to find a place to eat as everywhere was so crowded for a Wednesday evening. Ending up at Brad’s Swingside Café was an excellent choice. Perfect warmth for the night and just the right mood for what the four of us needed. The prices were fair and i loved the staff. On top of our server continually checking up on us at all the right times, the other staff were always there with a smile to grab anything we needed.
The size of the place is like eating in someone’s home. Not recommended for a huge group unless you call in advance. The food was fantastic and their wine selection was a simple delicious variety. I had a glass of Cabernet and the Lamb & Venison Bolognese. The dish was exactly how i had wanted for a savory dish that night. Every last drop was savored down to using my bread just to get the last bits of flavor. The staff, food, and desert made for an excellent birthday and easy evening out in the middle of the week.
Thanks guys! We will be back of course. You’re on my recommended list now.

A lovely, romantic, atmospheric Italian restaurant in the heart of Fremont. Yay!
If you’re wanting something creamy but not overly hearty, I highly recommend the pancetta carbonara. It was outstanding and I’ve been craving it ever since. The large salad was enough for 3 – 4 people to easily share. The gelato and especially the limoncello desserts were delicious. Prices are what I would expect, in the low $ 20’s for entrees.
The customer service was good. The only reason I’m giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because I’ve had more experienced, professional customer service at other local, similarly intimate Italian restaurants. They were very attentive, friendly and informative.

Wow! Never have I felt this disappointed, and this let down.
Having lived in Seattle for nearly 20 years, my wife and I have often driven by this place, and told ourselves that we should make the time to go there. A friend of ours (whose taste I respect) once mentioned that she thought this was the best Italian restaurant in Seattle — as others have mentioned here as well). So, after all these years, we found ourselves in the ‘hood last night, and went to the Swingside Café.
I had the wild boar and venison ragu with farfalle, my wife had the ravioli (being vegetarian). To start, we shared an order of the caprese. Quite simply put, the food is very very average. The portions were large, but made with very poor attention to detail and authenticity.
Whatever flavors the ragu might have (or should have) had were smothered by a heavy handed dollop of cream, the pasta was nowhere near al dente, and the dish (between the sauce and the pasta) was under-​salted by half. The ravioli was doused in a marinara that tasted like it came out of a bottle — I am certain it did not, but there was none of that fresh pomodoro flavor that one expects in a hand crafted Italian dish. The ravioli’s ingredients sounded wonderful, but the flavors were all muddied together, largely (I think) due to the thick skin of the pasta. And both pasta dishes had cheese on them that did not look or smell like parmigiano.
The service was average — at 8PM (when we came in), it felt like the one person waiting tables (Brad?) was in a hurry to get the place shut down. My wife is vegetarian, and began asking what could be modified on the menu, but he pushed her to the ravioli with little discussion. There was absolutely nothing personalized about the service — when I started asking about wines by the glass and the kind of flavors we typically like, he cut me off by saying there were 4 choices, and thats it. He was not rude, it just seemed like he had no time for us.
Admittedly, we have high standards for Italian food, but the Swingside Café was nowhere even close — no flavors, no seasoning, no attention to detail. The dishes genuinely sound and read fantastic on the menu, but the gap between what they say and what they deliver is huge.
When you just KNOW that you can turn out a better ragu or tomato sauce than the kitchen, it just does not seem worth it to eat there… this is NOT the best Italian eatery in Seattle, not by a long shot.

This is by far the best Italian restaurant I’ve been to in Seattle. The biggest surprise to me was that I’d never heard of it.
The owner, Brad, takes his Italian hospitality seriously. He makes sure everything is right with his guests, and he’ll light up if you have stories about Italy. The place is not your stereotypical Little Italy experience with white or checkered table cloths and red sauce. The food is some serious gourmet stuff. Tapenade. Fresh halibut over veggies. Salad with tomatoes, feta, figs, and blackberries. Pasta with wild boar. The richest desserts I’ve ever had.
The décor reflects Brad’s personality almost as much as the food does. There are pictures of Pittsburgh Pirate legends and Catholic imagery. Not so much the kitch you might find in other Italian joints. There’s a pretty outdoor seating section as well that would be nice on a warm evening.
Brad’s is a restaurant with some serious soul. A must-​try for Seattle foodies.

I’m not a fan of Italian food, but this place was good. I only eat Italian food because my girlfriend loves it. She had a Groupon-​ish deal so we stopped by after a long bike ride.
The restaurant itself is tiny but cozy. I pictured a warm living room with grandma’s pictures of grandpa when he was young up on the walls, the old record player playing the hits from her youth, and her cooking in the kitchen as we walked in. There weren’t many customers but I can see how uncomfortable it could be if it was busy.
The staff was not bad. Our waiter did forget to bring a basket of bread to our table but I didn’t mind since I tend to eat it all and ruin my appetite. But once he remembered and brought it over, I really wished he hadn’t. The bread didn’t have much taste to it and a little on the cold side.
We ordered the calamari ceviche, ravioli, and clam pasta. It was all great. I’m not a pasta expert or fan but I did not taste anything bad about these dishes. Portions are a bit on the large side but all tasty. What I also liked is that it taste and looks as if it’s all homemade-​from scratch.
Overall, a great place. I would recommend it.