Allister, a newly opened formal American restaurant and cocktail bar, brings a comfortable and refreshing dining experience to Mercer Island. The bistro has had a busy opening this August, replacing what was once the restaurant Bennett’s. Allister introduced new outdoor seating to maximize space and renovated the inside to include central bar seating as well as indoor tables. The ambiance of the restaurant as a whole is inviting and warm, with filled tables each night and soft, modern folk music in the background. Allister is on the fancier side so serves as a perfect place to dine for an event or night out.

Our order for the night included the Sea Wolf bread and salted butter, basil campanelle and the falafel plate. Starting off strong, the bread and butter was delicious and came with six pieces of bread and soft butter along with very timely service; however, the price can be argued as fairly high as it cost $8. While the plain bread and butter were satisfying, a part of us wishes we had ordered the Brie butter instead and will definitely give it a try in the future.

For drinks we ordered two of the “non-alcoholic” beverages; however, we were told the beverages actually contained some alcohol which was quite confusing considering they were advertised as non-alcoholic. We were shortly served fruity alcohol-free beverages unique from the ones on the menu, but they did not disappoint and contained a great balance of sweet and tangy flavors. This did not serve to be a problem in our dining experience but was definitely misleading and should be changed in the menu.

Following the appetizer and drinks, we were served the basil campanelle pasta and falafel plate, which were beautifully plated and very rich in flavor, and came relatively quickly. That said, the serving sizes were rather small for the prices of $29 and $18, respectively, especially the pasta which seemed fit for a single serving at a high price. For a formal dinner however, the quality is excellent and the dishes are able to both be shared and enjoyed individually.

The overall setting of the restaurant is perfect for a night out with friends or family as well as a more professional meeting point. Each server is very responsive and makes sure to come around quickly, and the food is arguably worth its cost.