Marination was consistently listed as one of the best places of its class to eat in Seattle. Every time I read a suggestion of where to eat that wasn't some high class fancy place, Marination always came out on top (along with Un Bien, Bongos, etc). Marination proudly touts themselves as Hawaiian-Korean fusion. They do have multiple locations across the city, like Columbia City, Belltown, T-Mobile Park (!), annnnnnd West Seattle. For those that live in West Seattle...good for you, enjoy it. I live downtown, and while I could easily go to the Belltown location, I will happily skip on down to Pier 50 and take the King County Water Taxi from downtown to West Seattle. It makes it more of an adventure, and like having a show, then a meal.
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| Look at that skyline view. All for just five bucks. |
Why spend money on an Argosy Downtown Skyline cruise when you can simply take the King County Water Taxi for 5 bucks? You can use your ORCA card to tap on as well. The views are comparable and BEAUTIFUL, especially on a sunny clear day. Expect full Rainier and Olympics. It's only like 10-15 minutes on the water taxi to West Seattle. It's a weird experience, you're speeding away from downtown Seattle and it feels like you're leaving the city entirely, to another place, another part of the world. When in reality it's just another part of the city. Because who wants to DRIVE all the way to West Seattle anyway? Remember when they didn't even have a bridge??
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| Elliot Bay, Maritime commerce, (broken) ferries, Mt Rainier. This is a quintessential Seattle picture from the water taxi |
The Marination in West Seattle is aptly titled, Marination Ma Kai. Mai Kai, coming from a Hawaiian term meaning toward or by the sea.
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| There's a much less obscured view of Rainier. Amazing. |
When you step off the water taxi in West Seattle you follow a little dock leading to land (be careful coming back if you've had alcohol, that thing SWAYS with the tides). Marination Ma Kai is the very first thing you encounter on land. I don't even want to know how much their rent is. They have a prime location. I'm sure they make up for it, because every time I go, it's pretty busy, especially in the summer. In the summer, expect lines out the door on weekends. I went on New Years Eve once and had a pretty crowdless experience. There's indoor AND outdoor seating. I sat outside on New Years Eve so don't mind the weather, either. It's not covered, but you can sit out and look at Elliot Bay and the Seattle skyline.
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| Just thinking about this dock bobbing up and down is making me sour |
Thankfully, they have tall menus standing up outside as well, so you can decide what you want while you're waiting in line.
You order at the counter as soon as you walk in, and get a buzzer for when your food is ready. If you so desire, there is a bar (inside and out) that offers alcohol as well. They make some delicious cocktails, like a Ma Kai (their play on a Mai Thai) and Thatcher which is bourbon, guava puree, Avaze, and citrus cordial. I could sip those all day. They also have draft and canned beer as well! Don't plan to swim back to the mainland!!
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| In all it's glory. |
I've enjoyed everything I had here, but anything involving the ginger miso chicken is wonderful. I've had basically all of their tacos, including the ginger miso, kalbi beef, kalua pork, spicy pork, and fish. The fish we're fine, everything else was excellent. My partner always gets the Lu'au plate, which she gives one thumb up. She'd put the other thumb up too, but she's too busy enjoying the plate.
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| Tacooooooss |
They also have a completely different brunch menu, which I haven't had yet, but I'm dying to get over there for it.
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| Cheers! |
P.s. Do yourself a favor and get extra Nunya sauce for whatever you order.
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