Haymaker Eastlake - Seattle

Bench seating near the door was cold to the touch upon sitting. Drafty. Salad was full of sediment. Ahi poke was very fresh, tasty, but the sauce was heavy and unbalanced. Chicken skewers were burnt and dry; sauced served on a plate instead of a dish to ladle and share. The sauce had so spread it couldn 't be picked up. Scallops were served cold with warmish potato/cauliflower. Coke was delivered toward end of meal after most food had been consumed. Espresso was poorly made (who EVER gets a poorly made espresso?! how possible? it was dark, not hot, and clear like coffee. Not at all how Food Wine would describe: Crema is one of the most prized components of a well made espresso. Caramel colored and creamy in texture, the foamy puff is created when hot water emulsifies coffee bean oils and floats atop the espresso with smooth little bubbles. Nope! Server was lovely but poor staffing level and exquisite amount of attention to the center 6 top drew away from basics like keeping courses going and removing dirty dishes this in a restaurant that encourages sharing and many courses. Had been in three weeks prior and ironically had sat at that special center table and had great service (though not all food was hot nor was my slightly better espresso then . Newsflash: One 6 top table doesn 't make your business. Server had advised us at start to order clearly because of that table, and we did. Shocking having worked with 12 tops and such in fine dining. So many things that could have been better.

The staff was very friendly and the food was delicious.

It is rare that I rate a restaurant less than 5 stars, and I don’t think that I’ve ever rated a restaurant less than 4 stars. However, the food and service at Haymaker this evening were abysmal. I’ve eaten there many times before, with uniformly good experience; this dinner was awful. Terrible food with slow and erratic service.

Haymaker in the Eastlake neighborhood has been a favorite since it opened under the name LeMesse. Spatially, the restaurant is interesting in its location and configuration. The food is innovative as always with new dishes and old favorites. One has been the excellent beef tartar which unfortunately has been removed from the current menu. Hopefully it will reappear in the near future. Last evenings server was beyond exceptional. She was not only knowledgeable about the menu, but had a natural charm. A comfortable personality and was a true delight to be served by. Thank you.

Cocktail was great Waiter seemed disapproving that we did not order an appetizer. A bit pushy. It’s a very cool and stark place in a cold night but we enjoyed the food—