Madame K’s Pizza Bistro

Great Pizza! Great Dessert! Great Service!
What more could you ask for?
I had always heard about Madame Ks on Ballard Avenue, but never got to visit until last night. We ordered the pesto sausage pizza for dinner and the chocolate chip orgasm for dessert. I loved the lingerie hanging all over the restaurant. We were lucky enough to get the table next to the table where we got to enjoy our dinner while people watching.
The restaurant was packed and we had an hour wait but it was well worth it. Loved the girls at Madame Ks. Everyone was so fun and friendly. You could tell how much they love working there. They made a mistake with our order but treated us to our chocolate chip orgasm. Really great experience! Thanks a million :)

I love the sauciness of this place… and I’m not talking about the pizza or pasta! Upon entering and being seated, all of sudden, I felt a sense of female empowerment. How very Spice Girls of me!
I started with the Patty Go-​Go Bread which was their garlic bread topped with a very generous portion of gorgonzola. It was so garlicky (and delicious) that I woke up with garlic breath the next morning. For pizza, I had the Artie Parmie Pie, which was full of artichoke hearts, parmesan, and garlic.
The entire experience was great and not just the food!

I love my pizza white trash style. No mamby pamby thin crust ‘I’m eating gourmet pizza cause I’m fancy I’m on a diet and want to look cool.’ NO. Deep dish, cheesy, buttery goodness is what pizza is all about.
This is now my new pizza joint in Seattle. The deep dish pizza is awesome (a bit pricey though with a base price of 17 dollars + 2.50 per topping on a large methinks).
Service was solid, the bartender/​waitress had our beer orders literally 10 seconds after we put in! Awesome. This place has it’s priorities straight.

The food at Madame K’s is average, but the atmosphere/​décor is stellar! The theme is burlesque and they have dresses a la burlesque hanging on the walls. You can actually try them on if you want!
In terms of food, they have the usual pizza choices with some interesting combinations on the menu. The reason I went was because they have gluten-​free crust (I think it’s a brown rice base)! I ordered my own personal gluten-​free pizza, yum! The crust was very thin, so it didn’t have any particular taste because the cheese, etc overwhelm it. It didn’t have the texture of cardboard, so I was happy. My friends ordered gluten containing pizza which they seemed to enjoy :-)
In conclusion, Madame K’s is a fun and tasty pizza place in Ballard! It’s perfect for a casual dinner any night of the week.

The idea of the place is great, and unlike anywhere in Ballard I’ve been to. It looks like just a hole in the wall from the main storefront but there is an entire back section behind the bar and an adorable back patio (which I highly recommend!). The décor is fun, but could certainly use refinement. There are burlesque-​style dresses hung randomly… cute idea, but most of them looked like cheap reproductions, and they were hung on even cheaper mismatched, plastic hangers. If you’re gonna do it, do it right. Buck up and get some authentic dresses from the period and invest in some antique-​y looking hangers. Some of the dresses were obviously circa 1990s. Anyhow, I think improvements to that detail would go a long way.
As for the food, I must preface by saying that I did not go for the feature-​attraction «Chocolate-​Orgasm» dessert, of which I’ve heard is absolutely amazing. (I’ll be back for it, but neither my dinner date nor I were up for it.)
It was a pretty hot day and it was odd that there wasn’t an ice cube to be found in our water glasses (again, a little effort in the way of execution goes a long way), but it’d be splitting hair to get caught up on ice cubes. :)
The house salad was fine, nothing special, but that’s okay since it’s a pizza joint. It came with a huge buttery rosemary breadstick comically draped over the middle. Our thin crust bbq chicken pizza followed. The small was plenty for two people, and I was impressed by how pretty it was, since when I hear «bbq» I know that it could make the cook feel entitled to not be so tidy with presentation. Anyhow, it was appetizing to look at and pretty darn tasty.
Waitstaff was great. All interactions were friendly, and our waitress was especially comical and honest in telling us what is good versus great.

With a straight face, I’m going to say that bordello-​themed establishments are a good idea. Not only just for pizza, in the case of Madame K’s, but this could apply to other businesses. Tell me you wouldn’t go to a bordello-​themed Home Depot. It even works for kids: How about «Hooker with a heart of gold daycare?»
But as to the actual restaurant, it’s tucked away along Ballard avenue and is a little bit inconspicuous walking down the street. Inside the restaurant has a small front room with a few tables with a larger back section (*resists booty joke here*). The kitchen is in a small center section that looks like an old changing room; you’ll be breathlessly waiting to see how they dress up your food.
Overall the décor is a garish red and black ensemble with decorations ranging from pro-​choice bumper stickers to frilly red boas strewn along the walkways. Entertaining enough fare for an evening dinner, but in the end it’s still about the meal.
And Madame K’s has good food. It’s a pizza/​pasta joint although the pizza is the specialty. Pizzas range from 10−16″ and are delivered to your seat on an elevated tray. The sausage pesto was surprisingly good and rather filling. I’ve been known to eat 10 cheese coneys before and still be hungry, but the 10″ deep dish was more than enough for two of us. There were still left overs for the next day.
They do have the infamous chocolate chip orgasm dessert (chocolate chip cookie dough with ice cream) here, but sadly we were too full to try it on the last visit. But that’s just an excuse for another visit and an update, right?

My friends and I found Madame K’s Pizza Bistro while walking around NW Market Street after a good session of bouldering at Stone Gardens nearby.
I loved the fun burlesque décor inside of the bistro. Everywhere you look there are playful negligees strewn over bedposts or windowsills. The menu describes the importance of burlesque within Seattle from its more lecherous days full of sailors looking for a saucy time. The items on the menu all of silly, sexy names and descriptions.
The theme of the bistro was fun and interesting (and distracting!) We ordered the breadstick appetizer, which consisted of four enormous rosemary encrusted breadsticks that were super delicious. For our entrée we ordered two deep dish pizzas, which left much to be desired.
I firmly believe that pizza should base its delicousness on its sauce, crust and cheese. The crusts were good, but the sauce tasted like bottled spaghetti sauce and the cheese was no better. The toppings (we had green peppers, chicken and onions) were good, but lost flavor in the mountain of bland cheese thrown on top. All in all, it was some pretty lousy pizza.
Maybe Madam K’s should find a better recipe for their main dish, or find something else to serve. It was a shame that the food couldn’t match up to the ambiance, which is really worth checking out.

Long before Ballard was overrun with condos, Madame K’s was a destination for tasty pizza in a fun and funky environment. It will certainly be missed when they close the doors forever later this year and becomes another casualty of Ballard yuppification.
Enough’s been said of the bordello theme and décor, so I won’t go int that. The mac and cheese is a good starter to share, as is the artichoke dip. As for the pizzas, you really can’t go wrong with any of their house pizzas, and building your own is never a bad way to go. I find their deep dish to be a little on the doughy side and the crust can overpower the toppings — stick with the thin crust and you won’t be disappointed.
And if the other reviews haven’t convinced you yet, the chocolate chip orgasm is a must to finish your meal.
If you haven’t yet visited Madame K’s, it’s really worth putting on your ’10 summer bucket list. By this time next year, Madame K’s will probably be another chichi boutique shop or swanky sushi bar or something.

I’m quite conflicted with Madame K’s, so I’ll just make a list.
+5 — for the pizza. It’s a pizza place, so therefore, this is the most important thing for me and it is good. Thick crust, great sauce, great cheese and great toppings. It’s overflowing with great. Delicious.
+1 — for lingerie. ‘Nuf said.
–1 — For parking in Ballard. Not that it’s their fault or whatever, but we try to go here more often than we are successful.
–1 — for service on the patio. We were there a while back and although the buxom lady in lingerie was very appreciated, she wasn’t there. It was cold, we wanted our bill, and it was time to go, and her absence sucked.
What’s that, 4 stars? Sounds good.

This is my second time to Madame K and I have yet to be disappointed. First, I love the décor. The burlesque, lingerie clad bar stools, Moulin Rouge thing they’ve got going on is totally fun, and livens up the pizza dining experience. Second, the garlic cheesy bread is A-​MAZING! And third, the pizza is pretty bomb too.
The first time in my friend and I ordered the Pizza Rita with deep dish crust, this time I got the GoGo Chick pizza (chicken & gorgonzola) with thin crust — both are delicious. My bf and I split a bottle of wine and secured the primo window spot. All in all — fantastic food and a fun, lively atmosphere. Next time, I need to save room for the raved about dessert — the chocolate chip orgasm, sounds too good to pass up…

I thought I had eaten all the pizza Seattle had to offer… but then I discovered Madame K’s. Yes, it was me. not you. Or you.
Fell in love with their crust and the quality of their ingredients. Their specialty pizzas are to die for, but it’s fun to make your own, too! This is the kind of pizza that you can take home with you and it will still be a good 2 to 3 days later.
Everyone mentions the bathrooms and I guess I’ll jump on the bandwagon because yes, you must visit them. Even if you don’t have to take a leak… just go in there and pretend you are and then look around. It’s all excellence.

Where else can you go to sit down, have a deep dish slab of pizza all while sitting in an old bordello where the walls ooze nothing but sin and marinera. Bend me over and call me Sally this place kills. Lindsay B. was in town and on the last night we went over to Madame K’s to see what the hype was about. The weather was on the money so we sat outside in the back and ordered up a jam packed medium pizza that, once delivered to the table could have fed Somalia. It was carbolicious.
By far the best pizza you’re going to find in Seattle. Not to sound weird but knowing you’re eating in sin, well that just makes the crust that much more enjoyable. But really the crust has a great flavor to it, fresh herbs tucked inside of the baked gooey end. Even all of you who don’t eat the crust will be reaching for your neighbor’s wasted bits. The pie is served on a table stand in the middle of the table, it has a right to be part of the party! Prices are reasonable, and the service is fast.
When you go, make sure to stop by the bathrooms… that is all I will say… you need to experience it.

So much love for this place! Their pizza continues to make me extremely happy. Recently I have somehow been afflicted with a gluten/​wheat intolerance (not sure if it’s temporary, permanent, or what!) and things have been pretty difficult. Luckily, I discovered that Madame K’s makes gluten-​free mini pizzas! I had one tonight and OMG it was so delicious. It was 100 times more delicious than I imagined and I came away extremely happyyyyy. Yay!
Also, we had our usual waitress and she is awesome possum. Hurrah!

Word on the street is Madame K’s location used to be a whorehouse. It is not unbelievable. I can see a rowdy past filled with drunken sailors and questionable looking women staggering to a room for regrettable sex filling the building.
If the pink cursive light blazing «Madame K’s» in the window doesn’t get you the closet full of dresses will. Man or woman can take their turn as a 50’s sexpot or an 80’s yuppie with dresses spanning many decades. I had to restrain myself from trying on as many as I could and having a spontaneous photo shoot/​fashion show.
Madame K’s is an excellent spot for an intimate dinner. Tables are small, the lights are dimmed, and there are plenty of signs encouraging fornication. It is long rather than wide. My friend and I were seated in the middle and were able to view the front and back and even way back to the outside seating. One downside to our seating location was being near the kitchen. We were subjected to the chef’s obnoxious screams to the waitresses informing them food was ready for pick up.
Speaking of waitresses and busboys, they were all women, in lingerie worn as an ode to 90’s baby doll dresses. Our waitress was friendly and made sure to check in on us frequently.
K’s is known for their pizza. You can get thin crust or deep dish. My friend and I decided on the Tomato Pesto pizza deep dish. To my surprise this wasn’t the Chicago style deep dish I had hoped for. Nevertheless the crust was thick and crunchy on the outside yet soft on the inside. The pizza was scorching hot and delicious.
I saw a number of waitresses walking around with giant bowls of a chocolate concoction with vanilla ice cream on top. If I wasn’t already stuffed I would have ordered that without hesitation. It smelled heavenly.
The only snafu we had was when it was time to pay our bill. The total came to $ 29 and change. I had put down a $ 20 and my friend was going to put the rest on her card. We had explained this to the waitress. Our transactions was complete and we left. About an hour and a half later my friend looked at her card receipt and realized she had been charged $ 19 and change rather than the $ 9 and change she should have with my $ 20 covering more than half the bill. It is something that should have been noticed by us and the waitress while we were still at the restaurant. My friend opted not to charge back and demand a refund. She could handle an extra $ 10 coming out of her pocket.
Aside from the overcharging snafu, I found Madame K’s to be fun and a throwback to those crazy 20’s flapper days and a great pizza joint.

The idea is intriguing. A old brothel made over into a pizza place where the waitstaff wears lingerie and has a bawdy attitude? Sign me up. Thing is, they don’t really do it up the way it could be done. More theatrics and history would add to the atmosphere.
The food was only three star food, at best. I tasted a friend’s pizza and got the macaroni & cheese, for myself. The mac & cheese was overly garlicky and I could have milked a high school full of freshmen for that much oil. Bleh.
All in all, an average experience, but not one I’d be likely to repeat with so many other excellent choices around.

I entered the restaurant, took one whiff of the its aroma, and knew I had to give veganism the heave-​ho. I finally had a legitimate reason to risk — possibly suffer — the wrath of my dairy allergy. I regret nothing and would gladly consume another pie with sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, and cheese. Glorious cheese. God, how I missed thee. And how ironic that my one embrace may be my last unless I haul my ass back to Madame K’s before she closes her doors for good.
A celebrated brothel in every sense of the word.

I will miss you Madame K’s.
*pours out sangiovese for my homies*

I appear to explosively disagree with the contentedly spent masses.
The vintage brothel theme is mildly cute and mildly creative and pervasive from the décor to the lipstick kisses on the check, but the whole thing just felt a bit over the top and irrelevant to pizza. That said, I give Madame K’s credit for successfully adapting the least common denominator tourist trap a la Rainforest Café or the Space Needle (with a similar premium) for the demographic that scoffs at such patronage and/​or patrons.
On a Saturday around 6:30, we sat right down after adding another failed La Carta de Oaxaca attempt notch to our belts. The most immediate reaction was not to the bawdy theme, but that for a «bistro» the non-​pizza options are surprisingly limited — there are a few pasta and salad selections, but make no mistake that this restaurant is about two things: innuendo and pizza, in that order, with which we thrust forward.
Calling the Artie Parmie ($ 19 for a small, enough for two) pizza is kind of a misnomer — it is more like artichoke dip on deep dish crust, which doesn’t satisfy the Chicago school and certainly not the New York school. The creaminess/​richness/​saltiness was… overstimulating. After the first piece, I was thinking I just wanted it to be finished.
The climax… of dessert is the most portion of the [s]experience though, and the Madame followed through. The «Screaming Orgasm» was more measured and rhythmic than screaming, but the warm partially baked chocolate-​chip cookie topped with vanilla ice cream ($ 7.50, sized most appropriately to share 2 between 3 people) was the disgustingly good and mildly dirty in just the right way highlight of the evening.
I couldn’t help leave disappointed though as we walked past the throng of patrons waiting to sit down for their servings of gooey pleasure, although I would have felt better if I’d just come… for dessert. Madame K’s was just too much and too little all at once and for the price, it’s not worth settling for anything less than mind-​altering forepl… food.

Did you know they have a back room?
Uh. I didn’t. Man, I feel like an idiot! All these years of walking by and thinking that it was just a small space in the front!
*smacks forehead*
So yes, they’ve got a back dining area and a lovely deck (big too!), which, I’m sure is perfect for lounging and binging on pizza and wine in the summer evenings.
We sat in the back, ordered some salads, wine, beer, and a medium BBQ pizza with jalapenos and thin crust. It was one of the best pizzas I’ve had in a very long time. Who knew that roasted potatoes on pizza could taste so good? Okay… so lots of you did, but I was pleasantly surprised!
The grand finale– The infamous Chocolate ‘O’. A massive half baked chocolate chip cookie with a big slab of vanilla ice cream on top. Best Dessert Ever!
The service was great and the food was out in a very timely manner. Fun sexy, over the top décor and lipstick smooched ‘to go’ boxes and receipts just add to the fun of this place! I’ll be back… often!

It is all they say. The food is fantastic– we had amazing pizza there. You do need to love garlic to enjoy even walking past the place– but they use a mellow/​roasted garlic that doesn’t stay with you after the meal. We had the chick pizza. It was superb– it had Gorgonzola sauce. My holy grail.
The antipasto plate was ok. Funny that on the menu they advertised it as a great vegetarian choice, but it comes loaded with salami and pepperoni. Wait– salami is meat?
We heard great things about the «Orgasm» desert. We opted out though, because as it was explained to us, it’s a heated cookie with vanilla ice cream. That’s not special to me. Perhaps I am not understanding the idea…
Based on the reputation, I also expected the servers to be dressed in Burlesque-​ish outfits. They were wearing t-​shirts and jeans. No loss actually, it may have saved some awkwardness considering the waitress we had.