Vivienne's Bistro - Mercer Island, Washington

Yaku N.

Vivienne’s Bistro offers a cozy atmosphere and attentive service, but the food left me with mixed impressions.

The sesame shrimp toast had a pleasant crunch and satisfying texture, yet it fell short on delivering the distinct shrimp flavor I was hoping for.

The karaage, served with a sweet and sour sauce, lacked the juiciness and depth of flavor I was seeking, leaving it feeling somewhat underwhelming.

The fried cod was a letdown. It arrived overly oily, with a crust that crumbled apart. The seasoning was also far too salty, which masked the fish's natural flavor.

The squid ink fried rice had an intriguing look but didn’t deliver on taste. The dish was heavy with oil and salt, and the bacon flavor overpowered everything else. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it lacked the depth and seafood-forward notes I expected from a dish like this.

The short rib, however, was exceptional. Tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor, it stood out as the clear star of the menu. The sauce, while rich, added complexity, though it could be toned down slightly for a more balanced bite. This is the dish I would return for, even if the rest of the menu fell short.

Vivienne’s Bistro has great potential, and with some refinement, the food could better reflect the thoughtfulness of its ambiance and service.

Martin C.

Great Asian Fusion restaurant. Food was really delicious! Highly recommended. My favorite was the Peking Pork Chops. The peaches made the dish. The Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs was so tender and tasty we couldn't stop eating it.

__

I would have never expected a decent Chinese restaurant on Mercer Island, and yet here we are.

I recommend that you visit with a group of friends so you can order and try a variety of dishes. Each one we tried was great - I don't think you can go wrong with anything here.

My old fashoned was a variation of the classic and was nice and strong and not too sweet.

Sherrill G.

INCREDIBLY GOOD!

I went to the one in downtown last week, and it was good, but the one out on Mercer is fantastic.

Everything I remembered to take a photo of is something I recommend and will return to eat again.

Marina S.

Incredible - hands down the best duck I've ever had! The Forbidden Duck was impeccable, and the bao buns/cucumber sticks were an amazing addition. We ate the shrimp rolls so fast (they were perfection as well) and the pumpkin doughnuts with blueberry sauce ended up being the most fabulous dessert!!

We didn't have super high hopes since we ordered on Uber eats on the night of thanksgiving, but WOW, was I blown away - delightful experience all around, and now, we can't wait to come in to try everything else on the menu! 😍 Thank you!

Yun

Host a dinner to show off and it didn’t disappoint. Every dish we ordered turned out to be delicious and beautiful. The quantity is still on the smaller side.

Two year after the grand opening, vivienne we visited again at 8pm on a Saturday night was very muted. The bar and the mid section of the restaurant were all closed and a row of chairs sat on top of the tables. The enthusiasism and energy were all gone. We ordered vegetable chow mein noodle, braised beef short ribs and softshell crab lettuce wrap that were all up to the perfection in terms of the taste and stylish (editable flowers as well) presentation. The slow-braised beef short rib was tender and juicy. Just gentle poke, the meat fell right off the bone. Additional order of the white rice is need to go with the rich flavor of the beef short rib.

Ian S.

We come here quite often. It is our go to place when we want to bring visitors to a place on the Island. It never disappoints. The food is great and unique. The pumpkin curry is very good, and also the pork belly. If you don't want to spend a lot, the Veggie Croquettes and the Grilled Tofu are nice and very filling. The servers are nice, and make good suggestions if you ask. Highly recommend!

Annie R.

We’ve gone several times since I wrote this first review two years ago, and now we order from here every year for Christmas! The food and service continue to blow us away each time.

Honored to write their first review—5 stars all around! The service and food were absolutely phenomenal, and I’m SO excited to have this place on the island! We visited yesterday, made a reservation over the phone (though it wasn’t needed), and were seated immediately.

The safety protocols are excellent—they check your temperature and vaccination card, which made me feel very safe. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. I even got to try a drink that’s not on the menu yet—a whiskey sour—and the bartender didn’t even charge me for it. It was absolutely delicious!

We ordered the Peking duck, egg rolls, pork and chive dumplings, fried oysters, steak fried rice, and the ribeye steak. Everything was packed with flavor, and you could tell the ingredients were top-notch. For drinks, we had my whiskey sour, a chocolate martini, a lemon drop, and a mezcal cocktail—each one was fantastic.

Hector, the lead bartender, is amazing! His customer service is top-tier, and he made us feel so welcome. A cool feature: after you order, they tape your receipt to the table, which seemed unusual at first but is actually super convenient—it generates a QR code for easy payment.

I highly, highly recommend checking this place out!