violet (CLOSED)

It's way too noisy and the food takes forever to get to you because they don't have enough waitstaff. The wine was good and the food is tasty, but I wouldn't waste my money on dinner there again. Pros: Tasty, Good Wine Cons: Noisy, Slow, Overpriced more

Great taste, perfect proportions, good service at a decent price. Just right. more

The prices they charge are the prices other restaurants charge for normal entrees, but they don't give you an entree size dish. They give you about two bites of each dish and tell you that you should get a bunch of dishes and share, but the dishes are so small, it's impossible to share. None of us are big eaters and we spent around $50 per person on food alone (I excluded alcohol) and walked out hungry! None of us got more than about 6 bites of food for $50/person!! The ambience is decent but definitely not worth it. Pros: Good ambience Cons: small portions, extremely overpriced more

Went here with my beau for Valentine's day. The wait staff was friendly, ambiance was lovely, and the food was outstanding. He had new york steak, I had a daily special: duck confit risotto with wine-soaked cherries, all of which was perfectly seasoned. At less than $20 an entree, it was a very enjoyable evening without the big $$$. Flourless chocolate cake was meltingly delicious, creme brulee was light and not eggy. I would go back any time. Pros: Great value, Great food, Nice wait staff Cons: Tables are too close more

A group of 12 people met at Violet for my birthday, and they put on a great dinner for us. Their meals are designed to be a tad smaller to encourage sharing, which for us worked out very well. Their Macaroni & Cheese with serrano ham and leeks is incredible. Their wine list is extensive, the service excellent. Not pretentious or flashy. Just quality food in a good atmosphere. Chef Jared even came out to our table to ensure that we had a good meal. I for one can't wait to go back. Pros: quality food, wine list, desserts! more

I'm curious about CitySearch's description of this place as a health food restaurant. Not that anything about this place is unhealthy but "health food" is not how I'd describe this restaurant. It's a fun casual bistro with a small menu of California cuisine. I tried the ahi tuna ceviche, which was wonderful, and the New York steak with peppercorn sauce, which was also good. Our server was friendly and accomodating and the owner/chef took the time to come out and chat with us. Nice addition to the neighborhood, I'll definitely be back. Pros: food, fun, service more

For only being open about a month, Violet has really got itself off to a great start. Mushroom ravoli was divine! Risotto was lovely. Seared scallops fantastic. Wine list was a bit short and they do not have a full bar. FYI corkage fee is $12 so if you are a wine snob like some of my friends, you might want to BYO vino. For me - the average wine drinker - the wine selection was fine. For a Sat nite the place was rather slow - hopefully that will change with time. Service was good and the place has a good look and feel. For a group of 8 with appetizers, wine, coffee and dessert - $52 a head (inc tip). Violet lists itself as "Casual California Fare" and it's a nice addition to the SM neighborhood. Pros: Priced right, Valet available, Great setting more