Guidebook Reviews

ZAGAT Seattle Restaurants
"Fun" and always packed, this "bustling" Capitol Hill ristorante is "one of the best red-sauce" joints "in town" thanks to its "standard fare with a flourish," including housemade pasta "not even an Italian grandmother could make better;" The "casual" vibe draws a "down-to-earth crowd" that's willing to endure "long waits" for a table.

eat.shop seattle: the indispensable guide to stylishly unique, locally owned eating and shopping (2007)
Tuna carpaccio. Go to Machiavelli now and eat a plate of it by yourself. Don't share … no way, no how. Let me describe it: a big plate covered with gauze-like slices of raw tuna, drizzles of mustardy-aioli and zillions of capers. I liked the plate clean in a minute flat. I'm sure the hilarious wait staff is used to seeing the "I want to eat until I'm on the floor writhing" look on diners faces often. This is a true trattoria, no pretensions, just the real thing: delicious traditional Italian food.

Lonely Planet Seattle, by Becky Ohlsen (2004)
Top five Capitol Hill and Volunteer Park restaurants
One of the city's cutest restaurants, the no-fuss Ristorante Machiavelli specializes in full-flavored Italian cooking without any of the trappings of a high-attitude restaurant. Old-world touches, such as putting chicken livers in the lasagna, help keep it real. Half of the small space is reserved for an incredibly romantic bar, where you can sip wine and wait for a table or just stop in for a cocktail or coffee or dessert.

Roadtripping USA: The Complete Coast-to-Coast Guide to America, by Let's Go Inc. (2007)
At this small, bustling Italian place, the gnocchi is widely considered the best in town.

Hungry? Seattle Family: The Lowdown on Where the Real People Eat, by Jennifer Chang (2007)
A prince among ristorantes
Popular Dish: Customers love the Penne with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto, which is made with sun dried tomatoes and cream. Although there's nothing light about this dish (and you'd do well to walk home afterwards), every mouthful of savory, succulent flavor is worth the extra calories and amounts to nothing less than pure joy. Another tantalizing favorite is the Handmade Gnocchi al Sugo, served in a tomato basil sauce, a dish that might also warrant a walk, but one well worth the shoe leather.

Unique Dish: Machiavelli's runs specials every night, and they're just as yummy as the rest of the menu. Check the white board near the kitchen when you walk in…

Drinks: A small lounge serves as the restaurant's waiting area, so while you wait (unless you have the good fortune of arriving before the crowds), you can get a glass of wine or a beer or some exotic cocktail from the bar. You can't miss with the house Chianti--a 2004 Il Principe. It's a hearty, full-bodied generous pour for a very reasonable price. Machiavelli's also offers the usual nonalcoholic fare (coffee, tea, and soda).

Ambience/Clientele: Take a small nondescript dining room, squeeze in as many tables as it will handle, fill every corner with the rich fragrances of garlic and fresh herbs sautéing in olive oil, throw open the windows, pack the room with a crowd of hungry diners, and serve mouth-watering tongue-tingling, tummy-tapping Italian food, and you've got the makings of the best darn indoor sidewalk café in the city. A place full of energy and fun, Machiavelli's family-owned business caters to anyone in search of authentic cuisine served by a friendly, animated staff that rotates through the dining room so quickly that you never quite know who's going to bring you the next course. And the restaurant's close proximity to the Paramount Theater and downtown make it an ideal place for a dinner before a show; just allow yourself plenty of time in case it's a long wait.