Tomo is one of the toughest restaurants to get a reservation at in Seattle. If you’re not in the right place at the right time, good luck finding your way into the White Center hot spot. But, there is a way to experience Tomo by just showing up — no reservations needed.
The restaurant at Tomo is reservation only. But the bar and outdoor patio are first come, first served. That means you can drop in any time for cocktails and snacks. And there are quite a few tables reserved for walk-ins every night, especially on the patio (which is year-round and comfortable even in the winter).
Tomo offers an ever-changing a la carte menu for bar and patio patrons. You don’t get the full tasting menu. Although, the last time Tove and I dropped in, they did offer the full menu to us. It sounds like the full dinner menu is available to bar and patio guests when Tomo isn’t too jammed with walk-ins. So, you might get lucky when you decide to stop by.
The sample menu on Tomo’s website gives you a glimpse of what the bar and patio menu looks like. When we last stopped by, we ordered lamb dumplings, super flavorful gigantes beans, and a buttermilk gelato desert. And we also had a couple of cocktails each. As always, the service was fantastic. And of course, it cost us a few pennies.
We were told there is no official closing time but the Tomo kitchen stops taking orders once the final dinner guests are seated which is usually around 9pm.
If you want a taste of Tomo and keep getting shut out of reservations, just drop in for cocktails and snacks at the bar and patio. It’s that easy. And if you want to roll the dice, you just might get lucky with the entire Tomo dinner experience as well.
Have you ever eaten at Tomo? How was your experience? Leave a comment below or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also check out Seattle Bloggers for more great places to explore in the Emerald City and beyond!
