“ In short Sophisticated Italian cooking in a lovely, welcoming setting. In long Downtown Bothell is certainly no longer the sleepy distant suburb it was 30 or so years ago. Lots of medium-rise buildings, lots of wide bustling streets, lots of new construction of all kinds...then drive a block over and you're back in the quiet old burbs again. Amaro is right on the border of those contrasting areas. Parking is a huge hassle, especially on Friday nights, so of course we came in on a Friday night. Everything's warm and nice inside. Big glass walls encasing the wine cellar, lots of tasteful blond wood, every inch of every surface is fully finished in every way. Lots of very intentional lighting design; you're never stuck in the shadows and nothing flickers. Quite the contrast to the nearly-old-world charms of the antique construction of their sister restaurant (Il Bistro, in the market). This is a very complete modern build-out. Staff are warm and friendly at all times, right from the second you step in. We posted up at the bar on comfortable tall stools, with 2 big flatscreens tuned to the game. Way to make this dude feel right at home. They were absolutely slammed--no place else to sit, 2 bartenders working with full barback support, and they never had a rest for even a second until we'd been there an hour. This place is thriving for sure. We checked out the buratta, which is a fantastic hearty appetizer. For a lot of us, this borders on entree generosity in terms of portion size. The roast tomatoes are excellent, and the bread is piping hot and delicious--cooked just enough for some crunch and plenty of chew. As delightful as it is to serve yourself the toppings, this would also show up beautifully as a finished pizza. These ingredients would work well in many settings. The carpaccio is something we looked forward to for days before we got here, and it still somehow exceeded our expectations. Rich and tender thin slices of beef with great contrast from salty and bitter veg on top. We also checked out a fig and pear pizza, which was every bit as delicious as it sounds. We've had this recipe/combination several others places and it's always great; Amaro's is as good as anyone's for sure. We were tempted to order too much food because we also wanted to try the pork shank. One of the expediters finished her shift and sat down next to us to eat one for her shift meal, and it smelled so damn good we almost got it to take home as 100% leftovers. This menu is worth exploring thoroughly. The bar program is quite over the top. Huge whiskey list, nice gins, tequilas, everything you could want (within reason) for a called spirit. Solid tap list, gargantuan wine list with many tempting options. We had fantastic cocktails from Vanessa, who is a sorceress behind the bar. She had a couple of her own creations on the list, and she made up a couple things for us on the spot. She's such a talented bartender. Prices here are certainly not the cheapest, but they more than deliver the quality for what you pay. We didn't even consider dessert by the time we filled up, but we've heard they're amazing and we can't wait to come back. ”

“ Wow had such a great experience at Amaro recently. Seriously everything we had was so delicious. There wasn't a single thing we ordered we didn't like, but if I have to pick a favorite the calamari was excellent! Services and ambience were great. I just love seeing all this good energy and gems in Bothell! ”

“ Found on street parking easily right in front of the restaurant. Was greeted promptly when I walked in the door and seated quickly. The server came over and introduced themself, brought water, and took my drink order. My dinner partner arrived, ordered their drink and then we ordered dinner, which was great for each of us. I finished with the Horchata gelato. Yum. There were only one or two other tables when I arrived, and by the time we left, the dining room was almost full. Appreciate the clean, shiny glassware, fabric napkins, and super absorbent hand towels in the clean, well-lit restroom. Nice touch. We will be back. ”

“ We made a reservation online and arrived to be offered any table we wanted. We asked to sit at the counter to have insight into the action of the cook, however after being seated found the two young workers just standing in front of us drinking their water, and gossiping with each other. If you are seating people at a counter, this should not be a spot where people hang out. Period. I got up and asked to be moved to another table and were taken outside. We had some of the most delicious food, and subsequent leftovers, that I get why so many locals recommend this place. I will say, the amount of bread provided with the burrata is not sufficient AND could be a more grilled and les burnt. At any rate a solid spot and we look forward to returning. ”

“ Only been here once and the food was great but the second time around was amazing! Everything was DELICIOUS! Service was great from the host to our server! Good amount of seating options for small and big parties! Recommend making a reservation during dinner hours because they do fill up quick but sooo worth the wait if you don't! Definitely A MUST to come here! ”

“ The ambience is decent, but the service was truly exceptional! We visited on a Wednesday evening to celebrate a special occasion and ordered the meatball spaghetti and carbonara. Both dishes were fantastic and incredibly fresh; I think these were the freshest meatballs I've ever had. Our server, Jacob, was awesome! He recommended some great wines and made sure to check in on us frequently. To top it off, the restaurant kindly treated us to tiramisu to celebrate--such a sweet gesture! Jacob was also very patient and took some lovely photos for us. Overall, a wonderful experience! Def coming in again! ”

“ We visited Amaro Bistro on a weekend night for dinner and had a very nice time! The three of us each ordered a different dish and then we shared family style. All of the food tastes good; service was totally on point as well :-) I can't wait to go back - highly recommended! ”

“ I was so impressed with Amaro! It's one of those spots that I always drive by and want to try you, but just hadn't gotten the chance to try yet. I'm so glad I made the time! The ambiance is lovely- it feels like a wine bar! Candle-lit tables, beautiful light fixtures, all the good stuff. It felt so romantic and reminded me of my time in Italy. The food was to die for! I got the gluten free rigatoni in the pesto burrata dish and it was absolutely incredible. Amazing flavor, texture, and portion. They also offer gluten free pizzas and have lots of other options for any dietary preference. My boyfriend loved his carbonara and said it's almost as good as the ones he tried in Rome! Our server, Jacob, was amazing! He was super attentive and very knowledgeable about the menu. He really took our experience to the next level. Highly recommend for your next date night! ”