Monsoon in Downtown Bellevue.
The Banh siblings’ contemporary Vietnamese has anchored Old Bellevue’s Main Street since 2008 — catfish claypot, weekend dim sum, and free parking behind the building.
Monsoon is the restaurant that made Old Bellevue’s Main Street a place to eat rather than just to shop. It sits mid-block between 102nd and 103rd, a warm, red-walled room with string lights, a lounge and bar off to the side, and sidewalk tables in summer, and it cooks contemporary Vietnamese with a Pacific Northwest pantry: Idaho catfish in a caramel claypot, Painted Hills tenderloin shaken with cognac, Dungeness crab wokked with five-spice, and on weekends a dim sum spread that runs until it is gone.
DBN covered the announcement in June 2008 — the Capitol Hill original, opened by siblings Sophie and Eric Banh in 1999, taking the old Porcella space — and the December 2008 opening as Monsoon East. Our 2009 interview with the Banhs found the catfish claypot already the most popular plate in the room; seventeen years on it still is. The name has simplified to Monsoon Bellevue, the free garage behind the building is still the neighborhood’s best-kept parking secret, and the room still books out on weekends.
Downtown has more Vietnamese now, from phở counters to Ba Bar’s own cousins, but nothing else on Main Street cooks at this level with this much room for a group. Where it fits is in our guide to the best restaurants in downtown Bellevue.
What to Order at Monsoon
Vietnamese roots, Northwest ingredients, and a weekend dim sum tradition; these five are the plates to build a table around.
Catfish Claypot
Caramelized Idaho catfish in coconut juice and fish sauce — the dish the Banhs call the successor to their original signature, and the one to order first.
Drunken Chicken
Crispy Washington chicken with yu choy and sesame. The plate the regulars split while they wait for the claypot.
Lúc Lác ‘Shaking Beef’ Tenderloin
Painted Hills tenderloin, cognac, watercress — the classic Vietnamese-French plate done with Northwest beef.
Saigon Dungeness Crab
A whole or half Dungeness, wok-fried with five-spice and garlic noodles. Order it for four and bring the wet naps.
Dim Sum
Shrimp dumplings, pork buns, sticky rice and more, Saturday and Sunday until it is gone — the reason locals arrive before the rush.
Monsoon Through the Years on DBN
DBN has reported on downtown Bellevue since 2005. This is Monsoon’s story as we covered it, as it happened.
Monsoon Vietnamese Cuisine Comes to Old Bellevue
The Capitol Hill original announced a second room in the former Porcella Urban Market space on Main Street.
Monsoon East Opens on Main Street
Doors opened as Monsoon East with a lounge and bar — one of the first destination kitchens on the block.
Better Know a Locally Owned Downtown Bellevue Restaurant: Monsoon East
A Q&A with Eric and Sophie Banh — the catfish clay pot was already the most popular plate in the room.
Main Street Restaurants Expand Outdoor Seating Areas
Monsoon’s sidewalk tables stretched onto Main Street during the pandemic summer, part of the block’s outdoor push.
Browse all Monsoon coverage in the DBN archive.
Getting There & When to Go
Old Bellevue is a walk-and-park neighborhood, and Monsoon is the rare Main Street room with its own free garage.
Getting There & Parking
- Drive: Free parking behind the restaurant in the Courtyard Off Main garage: turn south on 102nd Ave from Main Street, go under the archway, and take the first garage on the right — look for the Monsoon parking signs along the northeast side. Street parking on Main is the backup.
- Light rail: 2 Line to Bellevue Downtown Station, then a roughly 15-minute walk south and west to Old Bellevue’s Main Street — see our light rail guide
- On foot: Mid-block on the south side of Main between 102nd and 103rd. From Bellevue Square it is a 10-minute walk south down Bellevue Way and east on Main; Downtown Park is two blocks north.
Best Times to Go
Weekend brunch is the dim sum crowd — arrive early, because it is served until it runs out. Friday and Saturday dinners book ahead; Tuesday through Thursday the same room is easier. Weekday lunch is the neighborhood’s business table. Lunar New Year and Restaurant Week weeks fill fast.
Make It a Night
You are on the best block in Old Bellevue: pair dinner with a Main Street happy hour at one of the neighborhood bars first, a walk through Downtown Park two blocks north, or Cantinetta two doors up for the next Main Street night.
Good to Know
As of August 2026: weekday lunch, weekend brunch with dim sum, and dinner nightly. Groups of 8 or fewer book online up to two weeks ahead; 9 or more up to three months out with a deposit. Three rooms for large parties: a private room, the main dining room, and the 21-plus lounge. Corkage per bottle. Free garage parking behind the building.
Monsoon FAQ
Does Monsoon Bellevue take reservations?
Yes, online through Toast Tables, linked from the official site. As of August 2026 groups of 8 or fewer book online up to two weeks ahead; parties of 9 or more book up to three months out and are confirmed only with a deposit. Three rooms handle large parties and buyouts: a private room, the main dining room, and the 21-plus lounge.
Where do you park for Monsoon on Main Street?
Free parking behind the restaurant in the Courtyard Off Main garage: turn south on 102nd Ave from Main Street, pass under the archway, and take the first garage on the right, following the Monsoon parking signs. Street parking on Main is the alternative.
What should you order at Monsoon?
The Catfish Claypot is the signature and the Drunken Chicken the crowd-pleaser; the Shaking Beef tenderloin and the Saigon Dungeness Crab are the splurges. On weekends, arrive early for the dim sum, served until it runs out, and finish with the banana cake.
Is Monsoon Bellevue the same as Monsoon in Seattle?
Same family, second location. Siblings Sophie and Eric Banh opened the Capitol Hill original in 1999 and the Bellevue room, then called Monsoon East, in December 2008; the group also runs Ba Bar. Menus overlap but are not identical.
Does Monsoon Bellevue serve lunch and brunch?
Yes. As of August 2026 it serves weekday lunch, weekend brunch with dim sum, and dinner nightly. Check the official Bellevue page for the current schedule.