Revel Opens in Amazonia (For Now) and Yes, It's Still Delicious

While permanent changes are being made to its building, Revel moved into the former Vestal space in South Lake Union and is now open for lunch.

By Leslie Kelly February 14, 2018

Revel has been changing the way Seattle thinks about Korean food since 2009 in its rocking spot in Fremont, but that’s all changed.

The building’s being torn down and rebuilt and Revel has temporarily relocated to the heart of Amazonia, at 513 Westlake Avenue N. It’s not exactly a pop-up because it’s going to be a couple of years before husband and wife dynamic duo Rachel Yang (pictured below) and Seif Chirchi get back to the restaurant’s original home. Until then, the team will occupy the space that used to be Josh Henderson’s Vestal while its original venue is under construction.

Like the slightly smaller space it now occupies, Revel’s new menu has tightened up, too. But just a bit. So, now, there are two choices of salad (always go for the corned lamb!), a couple of savory pancakes (pork belly, and for plant-based fans, the chickpea with muhammara…so good!), two pan-fried dumplings, a single hot pot and two noodle bowls, including the way popular Dungeness crab tangled up in a mess of seaweed noodles and red curry.

Rice bowl fans are gonna be pumped to learn that there are three options, including Revel’s all-time best sellers: short ribs with mustard greens and the seared albacore with fennel kimchi and escarole, the best tender greens you’ve never eaten. Not yet, anyway. Go get you some!

The popular Grill Shack — a summer time fixture on the menu — has moved inside, with cooks tending meats and fish over fiery coals. Get up close to the flames and you’re likely to spy the whole trout, blistering broccoli and the dripping-down-your-chin juicy kalbi burger. That bad boy is $9 during the daily happy hour, from 4 to 6 p.m.

There are just four seats at the bar, but there’s a huge community table in the center of the room, so you can pull up a stool and get to know your neighbors. (What Seattle Freeze? That all melts after a couple rounds, right?)

One super fun bonus at this new, temporary location is the availablity of the awesome ice cream from sister restaurant, Trove. Those sweet treats come with the best dessert names in the city: Tropic Like It’s Hot, You Had Me at Jell-O, The Fudging Best.