Whiskey by John Howie

I am writing to share my disappointment with the experience my husband and I had during our visit to your whiskey bar last Saturday night 10/25. We were celebrating his 55th birthday, which I noted when making our reservation. Unfortunately, there was no acknowledgment of the occasion at any point during our visit. Our evening began with a less-than-welcoming greeting. Upon entering, we were met with a curt "How can I help you?" that felt more inconvenienced than inviting. After confirming our 6:00 p.m. reservation, we were shown to our table, where menus were placed in front of us before the host promptly walked away. Our server arrived shortly after to take our drink and appetizer orders. While the appetizer was delivered promptly, our drinks did not arrive for over 15 minutes—long after we had started eating. It would have been nice to enjoy our cocktails alongside our appetizer. When our entrées arrived, only my meal was brought to the table. We waited, expecting my husband’s entrée to follow shortly, but after about ten minutes, it became clear there was an issue. By the time our server returned to check on us, my meal had become cold from waiting. He immediately noticed the missing entrée and brought it shortly thereafter, but it appeared to have been sitting for some time, as it was not served at the correct temperature. What should have been a special celebration turned into a disappointing experience. At the end of the meal, I inquired about using the rewards program I had recently signed up for, but our server seemed unfamiliar with it and made the request feel like an inconvenience. After paying a bill of nearly $400, we returned to our car only to find that parking required an additional $15 fee—something I understand should have been validated by the restaurant, but was never mentioned. We chose John Howie based on its reputation for exceptional service and fine dining, and I had hoped to make this a regular spot for us—especially since my husband is a whiskey enthusiast and your whiskey bar seemed like the perfect fit. Unfortunately, the level of service we received fell far short of what we expected from an establishment of your caliber. From the initial greeting to the lack of coordination and attention to detail, the overall experience was deeply disappointing. Even my husband, who rarely comments on such matters, remarked that the service felt subpar. What was meant to be a memorable evening instead felt like a regrettable splurge.I wanted to share this feedback in the hope that it helps ensure future guests receive the quality of service that John Howie is known for. I sent an email on 10/26 with no response to date. Even more disappointing.

Just phenomenal. From the drinks and apps to mains and desserts, you cannot go wrong at Whiskey by JH. If this is one of your first times at a JH restaurant, get their legendary burger and coconut cream pie. Otherwise, get whatever sounds good and be prepared for an intimate experience accompanied by an awesome wait staff. Shout out to John B for keeping my partner and I engaged on our anniversary dinner

Started the night with whiskey tasting and that bartender sure knows his whiskey’s. Can get you a little tipsy if your dinner is to follow. Now for the food, everything served was exceptional minus the steak. The seafood was well presented and tasted great. The soup was simply fantastic. I could have had another serving. The steak unfortunately was very rare, and not medium rare as requested. While I still enjoyed the steak, unfortunately I had to cut away the blue rare sections. Overall was an enjoyable dinner and btw the staff were great. Very attentive.

Whiskey by John Howie is in the same area/right next to the Steakhouse. This place is not loud and great for intimate conversations. For a Friday night it was about 65% full. Lots of great drink options. The menu is a tablet with 28 pages. Like their sister restaurants there is also a flat 20% service charge. For two people, got the skewers, Brussel sprouts and steak frites (not pictured), which was enough food for two. I got the brown butter high drink per the waiters recommendation. Tasted like a smooth old fashion with a hint of sweetness. Parking is validated for 6 hours. Bathroom is outside the restaurant.

Awesome Place ....staff is excellent but leading the way is John the Bartender ... Awesome guy and his WHISKEY recommendations are spot on. Just as the food is. Definitely a spot in my rotation of places to go.

I love this place. First visited during Seattle Restaurant Week (SRW) last year and went again this year. They do not disappoint. Food is tasty, if a bit spicy (that chicken! ), but all good. Portions are generous and two appetizers can serve as dinner. The Manhattans and choice of red wine for SRW - very nice. Atmosphere is upscale but not pretentious. Just the right amount of lighting. If you can, get one of the booths (I prefer the one at the end by the windows), or sit at the bar if you're alone. They also have a happy hour and a half which I've yet to try. Staff are pleasant, knowledgeable and professional, the bartender's got skills, and the cooks do a great job with the food. What more do you need? My only gripe is that the wagyu nachos need a bit more wagyu. Otherwise, great experience.

Went for Whiskey Hour and while not like most Happy Hours, the quality of food and service more than made up for it. Waygu Nachos and Ancho Chile Prawns...absolutely amazing. Sit at the bartop and Ryan is one of the most knowledgeable bartenders out there. Great personality and such a good time. We will definitely be back.