Located in Fremont, this restaurant has plenty of free parking nearby, which is extremely surprising given its central location to many bus lines and close proximity to the infamous gridlock traffic of Fremont Ave N in most hours of the day (like less than a block distance east). We walked right in at 4:30pm with no reservation on a Saturday as first customers of the dinner service, and throughout our dinner, we were surprised there weren't many tables occupied even when we left around 6:15pm. This place is honestly a bit underrated. Happy hour is 4-5pm, so of course we took advantage of that (and is the reason we went so early). Half off glasses of wine is amazing as we got 3 different glasses of wine (Sauvignon Blanc, SWeL red blend, Cotes du Rhone) priced around $6-7 each. Pizza is about 50% off, but of course the size is smaller than that of the regular menu, but that was okay since we wanted to try more food of smaller quantities. We got the prosciutto and arugula pizza, natural French cut pork chop, and Bartlett pear bread pudding, which is a satisfying portion for 2. The pizza is pretty decent, nothing out of the ordinary, and you are served chili oil on the side which honestly tasted minimally anything and barely has a spicy kick to it, so it felt like you were just adding extra oil to the pizza. The pork chop is a bit overhyped, after seeing reviews that claim it is the best pork chop ever, etc. While the pork chop is seasoned well and nicely crispy on the edges, it was not as juicy as I had hoped. I had to use a fair amount of the gravy on the side to make it less dry, and they served a large amount of mashed potatoes that were eventually quite dry with the amount of gravy they added. For $45+ I was a bit disappointed and expected a lot more. The bread pudding is really good. It is served in a skillet and they do warn you it is very hot. Each bite is so buttery and just the right amount of sweetness, and the ice cream is an excellent pairing to the bread pudding. It kind of reminds me of Pizookie at a chain restaurant, but way better and less heavy. Service is pretty good as they check up on you regularly and bring the dishes with the right cadence. Food here is decent, but be prepared to spend a pretty penny unless you stick to the happy hour options exclusively

Fabulous drinks and appetizers and received top notch service from the server and bartender. I love the interior decor and lighting as well. Romantic, comfortable, classy. I decided to give it a try after reading the website. Seems like a lot of pride and love were invested in curating a nice place to dine out. Didn't order a meal but I look forward to coming back.

Great food and service! We ordered the calamari and baked scallops for appetizers, and seafood linguine and chicken as entrées. We really enjoyed all the dishes, especially the added spiciness we requested. However, we were a bit disappointed that they ran out of oysters and pizzas, as those were the main reasons we visited. We reserved outdoor seating for New Year's Eve. Despite the last-minute booking, we were happy with the setup--they provided heaters, music, and checked on us regularly. Our server, Madeline, made our night with her patience and smile. We truly enjoyed spending the last day of the year with Swel.

The restaurant was fairly busy on a Saturday night, which wasn't surprising given its prime location in the heart of Fremont. However, the busy area made parking a bit of a challenge, so be prepared to search for a spot if you're driving. Once checking in with the hostess our group was seated immediately and we were handed our menus and served water. I wasn't too hungry that evening, so I skipped appetizers and went straight for an entrée: the pork chop. The meat was slightly over but had a decent sear on the outside and went well with the sauce underneath the pork. The mushrooms cooked in red wine predominantly tasted like wine and overpowered the mushroom flavor that I love. I found myself with enough room for dessert, so we decided to share the donuts and the warm cookie with ice cream. The donuts, while fresh, were a bit too doughy for my liking and lacked the sweetness I was hoping for. On the other hand, the warm cookie was pretty good. It was soft, gooey, and served warm and paired wonderfully with the cold, creamy ice cream, creating a comforting and satisfying end to the meal.

Everything about Swel is superb. From the moment we stepped in the restaurant, we were greeted,treated kindly and immediately shown to our table. Jessie, our server, was attentive without being intrusive and super friendly despite being slammed. The restaurant is warm and chic and manages to have a romantic air despite the hustle. We ordered pear pizza, goat cheese appetizer, Ceasars salad and the spicy shrimp. All plates were returned to the kitchen, cleaned by us. We will be back shortly, we might even become regulars.

The half off happy hour menu available from 4 to 5 pm everyday the restaurant is open is a great deal. Half off oysters by the dozen, wines by the glass, salads and pizzas add up to quite a saving. There are enough choices in the happy hour menu to put together a full dinner.

Came in on a Friday night around 8pm and we were able to sit at the bar. Had oysters, the spicy shrimp, Caesar and the special ribeye. All the food was really tasty! Really loved the Caesar (we also loved it six years ago). Had some cocktails and wine. Everything was on point. Servers were on top of it, but not overbearing. Highly recommend!

Ted, the owner greeted and sat us. He was funny and vibrant. My French 75 was perfectly made. And we both cleaned our plates completely, which never happens. It was so good. Definitely "shit we like". The ambiance was cute and inviting. The bathrooms were beautiful, as well. Overall, we had a great experience and we will be back!

The cocktails were delicious. Amazing ambience!!!!! It is not too loud and fancy. The food is pricey, $35 per dish unless you are ordering pizza which is about $25. We ordered one of the pastas and it was too good!