Disappointing that to get additional drinks after being served our meal always seems to be a challenge. 1 drink prior to meal, 1 maybe when meal is served, but anything further you have to flag down wait staff - often not your assigned wait staff to get their attention. It's almost like there is an unspoken 2 drink maximum. This has happened on more than 1 occasion and not with same wait staff. I find this rather odd. Outside of that, we love the place and the food.
Janet Rumer
The food and service were fine, but this establishment adds a 3.5% surcharge so that they can pay a "living wage" to their employees...but the owner doesn't give the surcharge to their employees.
Chelsea
Great environment and looks fancy inside, so it gives this romantic date feeling but the quality was fantastic and probably some of the better Italian food I've had in quite some time, and the prices are reasonable
Andrew Bailey
Fantastic all around. Sherman was an 11 out of 10 with service, charisma and recommendations. Carbonara was spot on. Atmosphere was classy and nice while down to earth. Definitely will come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Carbonara
Amber Shields
Sat at the bar and enjoyed desert. Bartender was very knowledgeable on the various Amaro's and correlating regions of Italy.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Maria J.
Amazing ambiance and staff . The food was delicious ! The live music is the best in town ?
Nataliya Pilat
Our favorite place in Bothell!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bruschetta Al Pomodoro, Rigatoni Bolognese, Caesar Salad, Pepperoni Pizza, Lasagne, Calamari, Beet Salad, Margherita Pizza, Pollo Arrosto
Steve K.
Good Italian! Great bar and wine. Love the high top tables in the bar to watch the game on!
Julie S.
Went for apps and drinks, had a really lovely time. I didn't like my first cocktail and they graciously switched it out. I liked their bar, it had a great vibe and service overall was fantastic.
brooksie
While we enjoy this restaurant, we've noted that it's become quite busy lately. The staff appeared to be excessively busy (lots of running around, rushing through making cocktails, serving food, and longish waits to be waited on) which made it less than optimal. As for recommending Amaro to a friend (see below), I wouldn't say definitively yes or no, but would say "maybe."
This place is a vibe. We went there in a group of 12. They were kind enough to accommodate our same day reservation. Service was fast and our waiter was patient, polite and answered all our questions. Food, dessert and wine were great. We ordered a margherita pizza for the table. I got a lumache con pesto pasta. We ordered three desserts for the table - tiramisu, panna cotta, and torta mascarpone. Everything was great but tiramisu was exceptional. We had a good time. There is street parking around which can be tricky to find depending on the time of the day.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu, Margherita Pizza
Gandhali Juvekar
We were a group of 12 and the restaurant was very accommodating! The atmosphere is nice and cozy. The Ricotta al Tartufo with truffled chestnut honey was perfection but the bread that came along with left me desiring for more. The Ravioli di Zucca was on the sweeter side for me but balanced well with hazelnuts. The Lumache con Pesto was flavorful with fresh pesto but I wished it had more burrata. After the main course, we got some desserts. The panna cotta was one of the best I’ve had! Just the right about of sweet and great texture! The tiramisu was alright, slightly on the sweeter side. The flourless torta was slightly too dense but tasted great with dark chocolate coming through. Paired with some nuts and it was an indulgent treat!Lastly, our server was great with taking our orders, answering questions, and giving suggestions. Overall a great place and worth visiting!
This is second year we go to Amaro for Valentine's Day. It was great I really love their pork chop ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Robert Saucedo
Amaro Bistro offers a cozy Italian dining experience, though my recent visit left me with mixed feelings. Opting for a classic pairing, I ordered a glass of wine to accompany my steak. While the ambiance was charming, I found the steak lacking in flavor--it could have benefited from a finishing salt or another seasoning to elevate its taste. The calamari was a surprise; I expected traditional fried calamari but received it in a spicy marinara sauce. While the flavors were enjoyable, I missed the satisfying crunch of the classic preparation. Overall, Amaro Bistro is a decent spot, but tonight's experience fell short of my expectations. Perhaps it was just an off night, and I'm willing to give it another chance in the future.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Sina Amini Niaki
They charge 3.5% extra on the bill to cover the salary of their back staff, in addition to a mandatory 20% tip (even for a party of 2!). Can you believe this? Customers are expected to cover the staff's salaries separately, on top of the tip they already pay. It sounds like a joke.
Disappointing that to get additional drinks after being served our meal always seems to be a challenge. 1 drink prior to meal, 1 maybe when meal is served, but anything further you have to flag down wait staff - often not your assigned wait staff to get their attention. It's almost like there is an unspoken 2 drink maximum. This has happened on more than 1 occasion and not with same wait staff. I find this rather odd. Outside of that, we love the place and the food.
The food and service were fine, but this establishment adds a 3.5% surcharge so that they can pay a "living wage" to their employees...but the owner doesn't give the surcharge to their employees.
Great environment and looks fancy inside, so it gives this romantic date feeling but the quality was fantastic and probably some of the better Italian food I've had in quite some time, and the prices are reasonable
Fantastic all around. Sherman was an 11 out of 10 with service, charisma and recommendations. Carbonara was spot on. Atmosphere was classy and nice while down to earth. Definitely will come back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Carbonara
Sat at the bar and enjoyed desert. Bartender was very knowledgeable on the various Amaro's and correlating regions of Italy.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Amazing ambiance and staff . The food was delicious ! The live music is the best in town ?
Our favorite place in Bothell!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bruschetta Al Pomodoro, Rigatoni Bolognese, Caesar Salad, Pepperoni Pizza, Lasagne, Calamari, Beet Salad, Margherita Pizza, Pollo Arrosto
Good Italian! Great bar and wine. Love the high top tables in the bar to watch the game on!
Went for apps and drinks, had a really lovely time. I didn't like my first cocktail and they graciously switched it out. I liked their bar, it had a great vibe and service overall was fantastic.
While we enjoy this restaurant, we've noted that it's become quite busy lately. The staff appeared to be excessively busy (lots of running around, rushing through making cocktails, serving food, and longish waits to be waited on) which made it less than optimal. As for recommending Amaro to a friend (see below), I wouldn't say definitively yes or no, but would say "maybe."
Restaurantji Recommends
This place is a vibe. We went there in a group of 12. They were kind enough to accommodate our same day reservation. Service was fast and our waiter was patient, polite and answered all our questions. Food, dessert and wine were great. We ordered a margherita pizza for the table. I got a lumache con pesto pasta. We ordered three desserts for the table - tiramisu, panna cotta, and torta mascarpone. Everything was great but tiramisu was exceptional. We had a good time. There is street parking around which can be tricky to find depending on the time of the day.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Tiramisu, Margherita Pizza
We were a group of 12 and the restaurant was very accommodating! The atmosphere is nice and cozy. The Ricotta al Tartufo with truffled chestnut honey was perfection but the bread that came along with left me desiring for more. The Ravioli di Zucca was on the sweeter side for me but balanced well with hazelnuts. The Lumache con Pesto was flavorful with fresh pesto but I wished it had more burrata. After the main course, we got some desserts. The panna cotta was one of the best I’ve had! Just the right about of sweet and great texture! The tiramisu was alright, slightly on the sweeter side. The flourless torta was slightly too dense but tasted great with dark chocolate coming through. Paired with some nuts and it was an indulgent treat!Lastly, our server was great with taking our orders, answering questions, and giving suggestions. Overall a great place and worth visiting!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Butternut Squash Ravioli, Beet Salad, Caprese Amaro
This is second year we go to Amaro for Valentine's Day. It was great I really love their pork chop ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amaro Bistro offers a cozy Italian dining experience, though my recent visit left me with mixed feelings. Opting for a classic pairing, I ordered a glass of wine to accompany my steak. While the ambiance was charming, I found the steak lacking in flavor--it could have benefited from a finishing salt or another seasoning to elevate its taste. The calamari was a surprise; I expected traditional fried calamari but received it in a spicy marinara sauce. While the flavors were enjoyable, I missed the satisfying crunch of the classic preparation. Overall, Amaro Bistro is a decent spot, but tonight's experience fell short of my expectations. Perhaps it was just an off night, and I'm willing to give it another chance in the future.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
They charge 3.5% extra on the bill to cover the salary of their back staff, in addition to a mandatory 20% tip (even for a party of 2!). Can you believe this? Customers are expected to cover the staff's salaries separately, on top of the tip they already pay. It sounds like a joke.