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    Makai Island

    3.8 (39 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 7:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Makai Island Photos

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    Reviews With Photos

    Loco moco
    Kathy N.

    Overall thought this place was ok but not standout to me. Cream in ube pancakes was good, but it almost looks like a bowl of soup lol. Pancakes themselves were okay, but I think the ones from West Hill Deli are better. Comes with 2 pancakes. IMO not worth it to add the macadamia nuts for $1.50. Loco moco was ok. Mango refresher was also not particularly special as it sort of just tasted like mango juice mixed with a bit of coconut milk. Service was nice. I liked that their water dispenser was a brita filter. Ambiance was very casual, played Hawaiian music

    ube sweet cream coffee and mango refresher
    Annie C.

    I have finally got to try this place after several attempts getting in. We came on a weekend for lunch and there was already a line out the door. No surprise, this restaurant just opened last month. Menu wasn't too extensive and there were pictures, which is a huge plus. The inside of the restaurant was small, with a few tables on one side of the restaurant. We were able to snag a table after waiting for a party to finish. Here are some dishes we've ordered: For drinks we got the ube sweet cream coffee and mango refresher. Coffee wasn't strong but you can taste the ube cream in the coffee. It's more of a dessert rather than a coffee. The main highlight was the mango refresher, which they make in house. One of the best drinks we've had. Definitely a must order! 808 Hawaiian plate: This dish had fried shrimp, spam, lumpia, rice, mac salad and side salad. We got the beef ribs for additional cost. This plate served in a big portion that is easily shareable. Love that the meats were smoked and juicy like you're in a Hawaiian bbq restaurant. They give you this green chimichurri sauce to dip it in. Will order this again. Garlic noodles with shrimp: We thought this dish was delicious! The garlic flavor was strong and goes so well with the noodles. Shrimp was plump and marinated well. I like how this dish wasn't drenched in sauce, which I like. Hurricane chicken: This was one of my favorite dishes especially with the creamy sauce drizzled over the fried chicken. Each plate came with rice, mac salad and side salad. I actually enjoyed the mac salad despite having peas in it. Overall, the food was spot-on! Very similar to Hawaiian bbq food that you get from Hawaii. I do wish there were more seatings inside but takeouts seem to be an option for now to avoid fighting for tables. I will for sure come back to try their other dishes.

    Coco mango
    Samantha O.

    Tldr: the best islander food in the area! And the desserts are also so good! Ambiance: just enough seating. There's parking here but sometimes it could be busy. Service: really friendly and helpful. I asked for extra sauce coz it was so good, and the I got the whole lore about how the had to adjust the spice lol. Food: I had hurricane chicken and inihaw chicken so far. I think hurricane is slightly my favorite, just depends on my mood. Looks like most things come with Mac salad, and a green salad and some dressing. My only qualm Is that the scoops of rice are tiny. But I usually never finish my protein, and take the rest home wheretheres more rice. I'd rathe have more chicken anyway. The ube trees leches is bomb too, it was like 8.99? And it's pretty sizable so I shared it. I also got the coco mango another day, for the same price as the ube tres leches tho (8.99), Ill probably pass next time. Evrrything else seems reasonably priced. Really excited they ar win the neighborhood!

    Garlic shrimp, mango refresher, Inihaw (BBQ ribs)
    Anne Marie A.

    Same owners of Enseamada Cafe in Everett which I previously reviewed, became one of my favorite restaurants and I'm so glad they owned a location down south. Previously aloha grill in Renton, Makai has moved in. When we went, it was a weekday and the line was all the way to the back. Very busy but line moved fast, we were able to get our food in about 25 minutes. Their card reader was broken which contributed to the wait, but they were busting out food quick- less than 5 minutes after we ordered. Seating is very limited! The garlic shrimp was very flavorful and came with big pieces of shrimp, - their green sauce is amazing. The mango refresher was a hit for us, and the portion they give is big. They have various Filipino desserts which we loved and can't wait to come back and try the halo halo when they start offering it. Love everything about this place, a perfect twist on Filipino-Hawaiian food!

    Cute mural inside
    Wendy K.

    Came a little before this past Friday. They close 3-4 to prepare for the dinner rush. There was a line already forming. People were patient, the staff was kind and guided us to line up in a way that didn't block the entrance. Their card reader was down so they had to manually input card numbers but they were quick and friendly. We ordered the garlic noodles and garlic shrimp and the Hawaiian fried rice and beef ribs to go. I had heard from a friend about the noodles and reading peoples reviews decided to go with the beef ribs. The food came out fast for how busy they were. The ribs were tender with a sweet sauce. The garlic shrimp come shell on which I liked. Portions I thought were generous. I can see why people have been waiting to go Enseamada is way north so I never had a chance to go but all my north-end friends aren't fans so it's nice to have this in the Renton. Also can we talk about their green sauce that came with the ribs? Love it!! Definitely will be back hopefully to dine in one day. Space is bright, welcoming and full of island vibes from the music to decor.

    Kat B.

    Best first impression ever--especially for a brand-new spot! Our food came out so fast, and we were seriously impressed with the portions and the value. But let's talk about those beef ribs... WOW. Fall-off-the-bone, flavorful, and absolutely something I'll be coming back for. We ordered the ube pancakes, garlic shrimp, loco moco, and a mango cream shake--and not a single thing disappointed. Everything was packed with flavor. That said, the garlic noodles with beef ribs? Hands down my favorite. Chef's kiss. There were a few small service kinks (totally expected since they just opened), but nothing that took away from the experience. You can tell they're going to smooth it all out in no time. They've got that island music playing, the vibes are on point, and every employee we met was super nice and welcoming. Already counting down the days until we can go back and try everything else on the menu!

    808 Plate (junk mac salad)
    Malia M.

    PEAS. There are peas in the mac salad. After the plate got dropped off at the table and I saw the peas in the watery mac salad, I knew the bar was about to be very low. If you're looking for hawaiian kine local food, you're better off going to L&L. The mac salad had no onion flavor whatsoever, they're using some weird mayo and not best foods mayo, it's watery and HAS PEAS IN IT. Maybe they bought it in the haole section at safeway but it's not local kine mac. Got the 808 plate and the only thing decent was the ribs and the lumpia. Everything else was bland and odd. The lychee refresher has nothing refreshing about it. Tastes like they put 4 cups of sugar in one drink. I had high hopes but I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone, especially with L&L right down the street.

    Alex N.

    Overall, great place to get Hawaiian food in the Renton area. They have a large selection of yummy items that range from drinks to food. We got the 808, but Ube pancakes, the mango sago smoothie. Overall, I would give it a straight, four out of five, presentation was nice, the chicken was a tad dry and not as juicy as I would like, wish there was more sauce. The big pancake texture was good! The mango flavor could be more fresh. Overall, great time, I'll come back.

    Coco Mango Creamshake
    Maria L.

    We wanted to come and try Makai Island after seeing all the reviews of the restaurant. We ordered take out knowing how busy the place was. I'm glad we did, because there was definitely no where to sit as they were all taken. The inside is not too big. Makai is super busy, where there always a line forming at the register. Even though they're busy, the food was done by the time we arrived and the staff here provided good service. As for our food, I ordered the 808 beef mix plate definitely had lots of food! You can feed at least 2 people if you wanted to. The beef ribs were tender, saucy and tasty. My husband got the Inihaw Chicken Plate. I tried the chicken and that was good too. Saucy just like the ribs and the meat was tender, as well. Oh, we had to get something sweet!!! So glad that we ordered the Ube pancake with macadamia nuts. Pancakes are fluffy and yummy! As for the coco mango cream-shake!!!! My husband and I shared this and we both really enjoyed it! We will be back to try out a something new, but will be ordering the coco mango again!

    Mixed plate
    Ann L.

    Shared the mixed plate and good thing we did. Very big portion and the beef ribs were huge! The menu was a little confusing for the mixed plate as we thought it came with chicken, pork, & beef vs one of the protein. Would love to try the locomoco next time.

    Mango Refresher

    Tried this new Hawaiian‑Filipino spot and it's off to a strong start. The Loco Moco was above average with good flavor, and the Spam Musubi tasted great, though the rice‑to‑spam ratio was a bit heavy. The stars of the meal were the Hurricane Chicken and Lumpia -- both excellent and highly recommended. The Mac Salad was decent, but it includes peas and tuna, which may not be for everyone. For drinks, the Mango Refresher was very good and the Guava Lychee Refresher was also enjoyable. Overall, flavorful food, standout dishes, and definitely worth a visit.

    Lechon Garlic Noodles
    Mariah P.

    Perfect blend of 2 amazing cultures! We had to make a stop after reels of this place blowing up our phones. It did not disappoint!!! My favorite was the lechon garlic noodles! The line was sooo long but the food came out incredibly fast! The kitchen staff was full and the workers were so efficient! The restaurant had plenty of seating and we did not have a hard time finding a place to sit. Will definitely be back!!

    Pipikaula Rib Plate
    roemer l.

    This place is delicious. I never had a cold plate, food comes out fast, and that staff's provide exceptional service. I love how the beef ribs have a nice crunchy exterior and tender and moist in the inside. Ube pancakes with macadamia was one of the best I've ever had!

    808 mix plate with ribs and hurricane chicken

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    Ask the Community - Makai Island

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    Southern Grill - Overcooked gummy catfish

    Southern Grill

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    Been waiting to give them a try and had an appointment in tukwila so I stopped in for lunch. This…read moreis a no frills, southern home cooked food spot with rotating specials. I stopped in about 30 mins after they opened on a friday and they had a lunch rush, everything is cooked to order so be prepared to wait at least 20mins. I ordered the 6oz catfish and chips which came with 3 catfish strips, fries, 1 hush puppy, chips and a drink ($16.99) I also got a side of mac&cheese. The positives: staff was kind, pastor at the counter would make jokes with customers and you could tell they had regulars during lunch time. Fries were well seasoned, hush puppy was good and Mac was acceptable. My only issue with the catfish was that it was overcooked and became a bit chewy (see photo). Sitting in there it seems like the wings were a customer favorite so I would love to go back and try their wings and other sides. Since my order took longer (there was a large order right before mines) the pastor at the counter thanked me for my patience and threw in a dessert.

    I love fried chicken. I am always on the hunt for good, good fried chicken. Finally my husband I…read moredecided to give this place a shot. Because they have a limited schedule, we've missed being able to try it, but we got lucky this time. Take a look at the menu before you go, they offer different "today's special" items so take a look. We got the fried chicken and the honey spicy wings. I loved this fried chicken and the wings were so good. Honestly it's just simple good fried chicken, it was juicy and not too salty as sometimes breading can be. The wings though, they were my favorite, the sauce on these was so good. You just wanted to keep eating these and I did. I'd like to try more of their items soon. And be aware, there was quite the line already in place when my husband went to get food. It's good food period.

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    Jack's BBQ - SoDo - Brisket

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    3.9(1.1k reviews)
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    If you're looking for Texas-style barbecue, Jack's BBQ is worth a try. Overall, everything was…read morepretty solid and reasonably priced. They offer different combo options to choose from. For the brisket, they give you one fattier slice and another leaner slice. It was tender, though I wish it was a bit juicier. The ribs had great flavor, and the BBQ sauce was solid. The mac and cheese and cornbread were both really good, though I wasn't much of a fan of the coleslaw. Other than that, everything was enjoyable. Service was great and everyone was very friendly.

    Jack's is one of our favorites. We go a little crazy and order way too much food, but our son is…read morethankful when we bring the leftovers home after our date night. The service can be a bit hit or miss, but when it's good, it's fantastic. We recently mentioned that we always wanted to try the Pecan pie but are always too full to order a slice. Our waitress gave us a piece to go on the house! She also mentioned the coupon on the to-go bag that customers always forget about which gives you a free order of hush puppies. Wish we got her name for this review. She's always so nice. Anyway, the hush puppies are pretty tasty and big! $9.00 for 9, but even better when they're free! The tarter sauce is especially good and goes well with them. The BBQ class is also pretty amazing if you ever have a chance to so it. It comes with free drinks and a large sampling of various meats. Only one thing left to try on the menu and that the beef rib. It's 1.5 to 2lb and I don't think it comes with a side for $69.00. I hear it's well worth it, but wish it did come with a side.

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    The Local 907 - Corned Beef Hash

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    My daughter has been raving about this place for some time now. We met there for a Sunday lunch…read more Well let us start off this way... I am sorry I did not try it sooner!! She has been going on and on about this "Fire Breather" burger for a bit. First things first, exceptionally clean and friendly place. Seated quickly and very attentive to us and the rest of the patrons there. Broad selection of food and adult beverages. Breakfast till 1:00 pm on Sat/Sun so it was hard for me to decide what I wanted as I had my mind set on the "Pub Club" but noticed that they had Chicken Fried Steak, oh the choices.... Not disappointed on the "Pub Club" it was Yumi! It was full of all the things that make a "Club Sandwich", the kicker was it had "pepper bacon" on it! My sandwich was piled with meat cheese, tomato, and lettuce. Now this is where it gets interesting, I added some of the aforementioned "Fire Breather Sauce" to it, just a bit. It is freakin Habanero Pepper Mayo(ish) sauce, WOW or should I say YEOW! Not just hot but exploding with flavor. As stated, my lunch partner had the "Fire Breather" burger w/ added Pepper Bacon and Avocado. It was more than a mouth full of dripping yum. Meat done perfectly, nice fresh avocado, thick pieces of pepper bacon done to perfection. After seeing and eating the pepper bacon I decided to take home a BLTA with cheddar cheese. The onion rings were some of the best I have had in a while. Beer was cold and wet! Overall, a great meal and you will too. The words of the day today are "Pepper Bacon"

    We've been a long time patron here, but this is the first time we have visited for breakfast. We…read morenow live a half hour away, but decided to give it a try. The staff is very friendly, as always. Our server gave us great recommendations! We love the atmosphere here, very casual, no pressure to rush. Breakfasts came out fast. Our server recommended the corned beef hash. It had bits of corned beef. I tried the Fiesta Scramble. Nice thick sourdough toast. The scramble was tasty. It came with jo-jo type potatoes (which are not a fav). Hubs got chicken fried steak. He's a bit of a connoisseur and said it was decent. This was a nice low key spot for weekend breakfast. It is 21+ only.

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