This guide is trending now photo credit: Brooke Fitts Aimee Rizzo , Kayla Sager-Riley & Gabe Guarente Based on the way some Seattleites talk about the Eastside, it seems like an untouchable place where you settle down, buy a house with a yard, get a dog (or a Roomba), and send your fleeting youth away in a puff of humidifier smoke. But Bellevue’s actually a pretty cool place to be. There are awesome hiking trails , a couple of grassy parks, and good shopping areas alongside excellent restaurants . Whether you’re grabbing lunch with coworkers or going on a dinner date , here’s where to eat when you’re not navigating the parking situation at Lincoln Square. And if you're exploring other places on the Eastside, we have a guide to Redmond , too. Unrated : Restaurants we want to re-visit before assigning a rating. We only rate spots where you can eat a full meal. We won’t rate a coffee shop, bar that only serves peanuts, or dessert shop. Takai By Kashiba 180 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, Washington 98004 This is a see-and-be-seen sushi spot where everyone is united—Microsoft VPs, influencers, and tourists who thought Bellevue was actually located in Seattle. And despite the fact that the luxe dining room feels like the setting of a Real Housewives episode, this 23-course omakase delivers the same kind of sushi mastery you would expect from the team behind Sushi Kashiba . Reservations are required, so plan well in advance to come here for your next big celebratory dinner . And while counter omakase is pricey and limited (they only have two seatings a day), the proximity to the chef makes for a great show. RESERVE A TABLE WITH Find More Exclusive Reservations With photo credit: Takai By Kashiba Find The Best Spots Nearby 13112 NE 20th St # 200, Bellevue, Washington 98005 Lazy lunches that happen to involve Japanese food don’t get much better than Ramen Nori. This spot specializes in both sushi and ramen, and their showing is so good that it’s hard to decide between the two. Pesto swirls and parmesan melt together to elevate a bowl of creamy tonkotsu broth. Crackly pan-seared gyoza don’t even need a sauce dunk. And nigiri is sculpted with precision, wasabi dollop and all. photo credit: Nate Watters photo credit: Nate Watters photo credit: Nate Watters photo credit: Nate Watters La Mar Cocina Peruana 10508 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98004 Expensive party restaurants often have bad food—call it correlation, not causation—but La Mar is the Peruvian transplant here to squash that claim. The dining room with furnishings seemingly plucked from a luxury showroom feels right at home on Old Main, only the menu is stacked with really great stuff. Snacks like flaky chicken empanadas or wonton tacos stuffed with creamy tuna tartare would be demolished at a wedding cocktail hour. Blowtorched Nikkei nigiri highlights hamachi that nearly disintegrates beneath bright sauce drizzles. Even the complimentary taro chips and herby green dip are poundable. With a massive space and ample weeknight reservations available, a serious birthday dinner or after-work team drinks become effortless to plan. RESERVE A TABLE WITH photo credit: Avablu 1915 140th Ave NE, Bellevue, Washington 98005 Frying Fish’s is the kind of place that might describe itself on a dating profile as “excellent food, reliable, great with groups.” And unlike most profiles, that would not be a gross exaggeration. Here, you can satisfy a large crew with ease, no matter if you’re with people who live for tingling Sichuan heat, or just want dependable classics like a very good pork with bean curd. Don’t worry about squeezing in, either. More than one oversized booth makes it easy to seat 15 people you kind of know, and 17–20 you know well enough to get up close and personal with. photo credit: Makena Yee Broiler Bay Burgers 10636 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98004 Broiler Bay is not the kind of burger spot where you’ll find cloth napkins, gruyere, or anything involving truffle. It’s the kind where you show up, order a charbroiled double bacon cheeseburger on a sesame seed bun with onion rings and a large Oreo shake, eat it lovingly with copious amounts of fry sauce at a table with a very wobbly leg, and continue on your way. These are the best burgers in Bellevue, so don’t miss them. photo credit: Erin Roberts 10246 Main St Ste C, Bellevue, WA 98004 This Thai restaurant (with a second location in the University District ) has a terrific fully vegan menu. Bright green plants hang from every available ceiling space and a bustling kitchen churns out dishes with flavorful seitan, tofu, and jackfruit tweaks. The creamy avocado curry is comforting and the vegetable satay is deeply marinated in yellow curry with a tangy peanut sauce for dunking. And for all the mushroom lovers, the drunken mushroom dish has four different kinds of fungi swimming in a sticky basil sauce that we can't stop thinking about. (We are said mushroom lovers.) photo credit: Nate Watters Haidilao Hot Pot 188 106th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 Hadidilao is an experience . At this popular hot pot chain, the staff escorts you to a booth like you’ve got a FastPass and then proceeds to dance tableside while hand-pulling noodles. And don’t even get us started on all the free stuff (toys, pints of ice cream, lotion, manicures). All the bells and whistles are nice, but the hot pot is truly great—their tom yum broth has tons of lemongrass and lime that pair nicely with delicate beef tongue, while the extra-spicy mala broths will have you tearing up over slivers of lamb shoulder. Be sure to load up at the sauce and toppings bar (just watch out for airborne noodles and robot servers). photo credit: Makena Yee Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar 205 108th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 If you need to convince someone that you have your sh*t together, take them to a dinner at Seastar. It’s the kind of upscale seafood spot that would be the perfect setting for that token classy restaurant date scene in a rom-com. It’s also a solid place for a business dinner, particularly one covered by a corporate card. Always start with the crab bisque, and then you can’t go wrong with a fish entree (like king salmon or mahi mahi). Just try not to laugh hysterically when you see the bill. RESERVE A TABLE WITH photo credit: Seastar Desi Tadka Indian Grill 304 105th Ave NE, Bellevue, Washington 98004 Some of the best meals can only be described by using a series of colorful expletives, and Desi Tadka is no exception. This vegetarian spot that serves Punjabi food has a lineup of dishes with such tremendous flavor that the occasional cursing is warranted. Use the onion kulcha—with red onion, green chilies, and whole spices baked into every square of the dough—to scoop up heaps of sweet paneer tikka and bhindi masala, and let the profanity commence. Keep this place in mind for takeout , or a casual weekday lunch. photo credit: Brooke Fitts 233 106th Ave NE, Bellevue, Washington 98004 There's been a ton of hype surrounding the first US location of a popular Japanese tempura restaurant. But even with one or two menu misses, it's well worth it. Must-order options include huge portions of silky katsu curry, creamy carbonara that rivals those from local Italian restaurants, and most importantly, the tempura. This signature dish is drizzled in the restaurant’s dashi-heavy kohaku sauce (much thicker than traditional tempura sauce) and situated on a bed of warm fluffy rice. Save room for dessert too—the sweet potato crème brûlée is something that we now lovingly dream about eating. How to get into Tendon Kohaku Really, the bottom line when it comes to getting into this tempura kingdom is to arrive at least an hour before they open for lunch or dinner. They do take reservations for more than five people, so if you have a bigger group you may just get lucky without needing to brave the line—that is, if they answer the phone amid dining room chaos. If you can’t get through, it’s okay to just keep calling, and calling, and calling. photo credit: Makena Yee Shaoshan Impression 14150 NE 20th St, Bellevue, Washington 98007

The delightful funk of stinky tofu is merely an opening act to the parade of Shaohan Impression’s spice-heavy dishes. Just about everything listed with chili pepper icons are winners, especially the steamed fish covered in a Christmas-like array of fiery red and green peppers. It all makes for an exciting dinner inside a bright, efficiently run dining room, where people hover over steaming stone pots, dueling for pieces of seafood and melty braised pork with their chopsticks. And on dreary nights, there’s just something soothing about the colorful dishes and easy-going energy in the strip mall spot, even if your mouth remains tingly all the way home. photo credit: Gabe Guarente 15259 NE Bel Red Rd, Bellevue, WA 98007 There are more than 40 varieties of dosas at the bustling casual-counter service place, where you’ll find families gathered at long tables to accommodate the massive dishes. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices—including Indian-Chinese fusions like the noodle dosa—but quantity doesn’t dilute the quality. If you only have room for a couple, get the Chettinad dosa with its tender potato filling and hints of cardamom, alongside the onion chili version for some spice. And fill your table with a few sides like the paani poori that’s so flaky and delicate it should be served on a tiny velvet pillow. photo credit: Nate Watters La Chingona Taqueria 29 148th Ave SE, Bellevue, Washington 98007 Some of Bellevue's best tacos are hidden in the parking lot of a probation office. La Chingona Taqueria has a menu of excellent food with immaculate vibes to match, despite the whole parking lot thing. The covered patio is decorated with papel picado and plenty of picnic tables to hang out with friends while double-fisting tacos and beer. Their baja fish is the best dish here, complete with a sweet and airy breading, tons of shredded cabbage, and a chipotle crema for the books. They now have a full-fledged restaurant in West Seattle , too. photo credit: Brooke Fitts 10606 Northup Way, Bellevue, WA 98004 Speaking of burgers, Burgermaster is an absolute classic, and for those who have been to other locations and are confused, the one in Bellevue is way better than the rest. Eating at this drive-in is simple—park your car, turn your lights on for service, order cheeseburgers, shoestring fries, a crab and swiss melt, and flawless panko-crusted onion rings, and have a nice dinner in your front seat. And don't forget an artificially flavored green mint shake blended with nearly an entire sleeve of Oreos. It’s Burgermaster’s greatest contribution to the world. Aside from the onion rings. photo credit: Nate Watters 10245 Main St, Bellevue, WA 98004 For date-night Vietnamese , head to Monsoon on Old Main—it’s a little smaller than the Capitol Hill location, but serves the same menu, with dishes like claypot catfish and crunchy drunken chicken. And much like their Capitol Hill counterpart, they serve a dim sum brunch on Sundays complete with shrimp dumplings, pork buns, and plenty of mimosas. photo credit: Nate Watters Sandwich House Tres 1502 145th Pl SE, Bellevue, WA 98007 The only thing worse than showing up to a work potluck with a mystery casserole is showing up empty-handed. Instead, arrive with a box full of Japanese milk bread sandwiches from Sandwich House Tres. While these crustless triangles look almost too perfect to eat, don’t let that stop you from attempting to buy the place out. The fluffy egg salad would be a hot commodity on the school lunch trading market, especially when that same filling is dolloped on top of a fried shrimp cutlet with cabbage. For something sweet, the fruit sandwiches are just as good. They sell out quickly, so be sure to get here before 10am. photo credit: Brooke Fitts Dough Zone Dumpling House 14625 NE 24th St Ste 4B, Bellevue, WA 98007 The Eastside is where Dough Zone's dumpling reign began, and nothing warms us up much better on a chilly gray day than steamy dan dan noodles, pork q-bao, chicken wontons in hot and sour broth, and potstickers. We even love the plain broccoli dunked in seafood sauce. For those getting lunch with coworkers or who just feel like popping a dozen xiao long bao in your mouth like you’re playing a game of Hungry Hungry Hippos, Dough Zone will always be waiting for you. photo credit: Nate Watters 989 112th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 Follow the ridiculous neon glow from DaVinci Dental to K-BBQ Woobling, located in the building across the street. This upscale Korean BBQ spot is perfect for a special occasion or date night that calls for lots of pork belly and slivers of kimchi pancake. The proteins arrive curled in the shape of roses and served on fancy wooden display boards, the grill is Sur La Table-quality, and they even delicately score each piece of meat for you to maximize on the crispy bits. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo 102 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 Garlic Crush is the Middle Eastern restaurant version of that best friend you can count on no matter what your mood is. If you’re feeling takeout, kebab plates travel really well. If you want something vegetarian , get some crunchy falafel. If you’re ravenous, the gyro plate will fill you up. If you forgot snacks for your cocktail party, a large order of homemade hummus will have your back. Dessert? Two words: fresh baklava. If the weather’s nice and you line up a few outdoor tables, you’ll have a very enjoyable feast. photo credit: Suzi Pratt Supreme Dumplings 14603 NE 20th St, Bellevue, Washington 98007 No matter where you stand in the Dough Zone vs. Din Tai Fung dumpling debate, Supreme Dumplings swoops in and makes you second-guess everything. Between fried rice topped with a massive pork chop and green beans stir-fried with shitakes, carrots, and enough garlic to keep the entire Cullen coven away, this Chinese spot nails all of the classics. And while we still ultimately prefer Dough Zone, Supreme has some standouts—like chewy tan tan noodles in sesame sauce and truffle xiao long bao with a perfect soup-to-meat ratio. photo credit: Makena Yee Istanbul Cuisine 405 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004 Right next to the Macy’s entrance at Bellevue Square Mall is a food stand that’ll save you when you can’t handle another mediocre salad from Earl’s. Istanbul Cuisine serves Turkish pide and gözleme made to-order on a griddle, and these flatbreads make for one of the best quick lunches in Bellevue. There are meat-based options like curry-rubbed chicken or ground lamb, but the spinach and feta gözleme is a standout, stuffed with lots of caramelized onions and melty mozzarella. Dip it in some minty yogurt sauce to cut through the richness. photo credit: Brooke Fitts Suggested Reading Deru Market is part farm-to-table restaurant, part classy deli in Kirkland, and you need their cake. American Fusion Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar Seafood American Deru Market is part farm-to-table restaurant, part classy deli in Kirkland, and you need their cake. American Fusion Bottle and Bull is a gastropub in Kirkland with small plates, craft cocktails, and great date night potential. Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar Seafood American Seastar in Bellevue is a fancy seafood place where you should be using a corporate card. Senior Staff Writer, Seattle Aimee launched The Infatuation Seattle in 2017. She also holds a WSET certification and the opinion that whatever marinara can do, vodka sauce can do better. Kayla Sager-Riley Former Staff Writer, Seattle Kayla joined The Infatuation Seattle in 2023. She is born, raised, and perhaps most importantly, well-fed in Seattle. Senior Editor, Seattle Gabe is originally an East Coaster, but now accepts cream cheese on hot dogs.