Mari's Kitchen
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A group post on Facebook about a breakfast special here that includes fluffy blueberry pancakes drew me to Florence on a rainy weekend morning. I followed another couple in and overheard another table expressing the regret that they had not spent more time so they could eat here again... not too bad for overheard customers reviews. The table behind me ordered a crab and crusted halibut with a side of linguine that you can order it with Alfredo, marinara, or sausage sauce. Next time. I was here for the breakfast special which includes fluffy pancakes, bacon and eggs and fresh fruit...but on another day I would need to try the brisket Benedict. Chef Mari, the Bulgarian name sake of the kitchen, smokes the brisket in house. Breakfast is served all day; they are only closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. I decided to order a virgin Loaded Bloody Mary (they also have a Bloody Maria which is tequila). Sarah the server was the bartender and knew what she was doing. Bloody Virgin Mary came with steaming hot shrimp and just made bacon. Holy mother of God. Spiced with solid, well-deserved tangy kick...to off set the heat. Absolutely beautiful. The pancakes were incredible and lavishly covered with a rich blueberry compote that was thankfully not too sweet. The bacon was thick but not too thick and just salty in just the best way. Very excited about coming back for the other dishes that I saw being served. That's a good sign. Then Mari came out from the kitchen to say hello to some of us. Wonderful.
I really enjoyed this restaurant. It is in the old part of the town and looks out on the historic bridge. The place is quaint. The waiter was very freindly and kept making sure that our waters were refilled. He recommended the special which was a crab melt. It was delicious. My partner had the pork schnitzel and he said it was very good!
We visited about two weeks ago A bartender and waitress were present only one table was occupied They said seat yourself I did by the window a a minute later my husband joined me a couple came in after us and went to the bar they were served drinks given menus The waitress just left out the door looked at us and left the bartender was making mixes or garnish completely ignored us never said I'll be there in a minute nothing after a week traveling the coast this was the first time We were uncomfortable for being gay and were discriminated against This place actually was recommended by a gay friend named Mari who told it was great I'll never be back and would warn gay travelers not to frequent here
Hubby and I are in Florence for a couple days to celebrate our anniversary. We had a lazy day today and wanted to check out the downtown area. When we got hungry, we decided on Mari's Kitchen. Husband had perused the menu ahead of time (as we often do) and their website advertised a Hungarian goulash, which is kind of why had decided on this place (hubby is Hungarian and loves to find dishes that remind him of the flavors his grandmother cooked when he was a child). We were greeted warmly upon walking in and we opted to sit outside as the weather was lovely. We could not locate the goulash on their printed menu and were disappointed when we inquired about it and were told it was no longer being offered. Darn. Hubby and I both chose the chicken marsala instead. Our server, who was terrific, brought our salads (included with the meal) first. They are small and were comprised solely of spring mix, red onion, diced tomato, and some Parmesan on top. The ingredients were fresh, though, and it's probably a good thing that they weren't any bigger as I would have filled up on that before my meal arrived. Our marsala dishes arrived piping hot. A delicious chicken breast, pounded thin, sat atop mashed potatoes and were smothered in a delicious marsala sauce. While the marsala was wonderful, the potatoes really shined through as the star of the dish. There was a flavor about them, almost like a tang, that we thought may have been a dash of lemon juice. Unexpected in mashed potatoes but it really elevated the potatoes and paired very well with the savory flavors of the chicken and sauce. Chicken was cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. My husband commented that he believes this is the best marsala dish he's ever had. My one and only complaint, which is really quite minimal, is that I would have appreciated a vegetable of some sort (aside from the mushrooms in the sauce - I'm thinking along the lines of green beans, broccolini, asparagus, etc) to accompany the chicken. I would have preferred this over the salad. I decided toward the end of our meal that I wanted to try the meatball soup as it was spoken of highly here on Yelp, so I ordered a portion to go. I sampled a bit of it when I got back to our hotel. My first impression is that it was very oily. The portion I received was basically two chunks of celery, one coin of carrot, and perhaps 5 mini meatballs in broth. Decent flavor but a bit underwhelming. Service throughout was attentive, personable, and accommodating. We were disappointed that the dish we came for was no longer offered, but the marsala made up for it. If we lived here locally, this would definitely be a place we would return to.
This was our 2nd choice restaurant for dinner & now we know why:/ The staff were friendly. We ordered the Gorgonzola Burger with fries & the Crab Melt also with fries. Like previous Yelpers, the fries were partially cooked, undercooked, & overcooked- all in a single frie:/ The burger was good. The crab melt was lacking in crab (but what was present was tasty). The bread it sat on had very crunchy edges & almost a squishy center:/
I'm pretty disappointed in Mari's after last night. We've previously had great brunch meals there (which they now don't offer?). I hate dissing a local restaurant, but they missed the mark last night. I ordered halibut fish and chips ($24) and they were expecting them to at least be as good as the best on the coast: Luna Sea. Not even close. First, it didn't even come with cole slaw? I ordered a side salad which was extra. But worse was the quality of the fish and chips. The halibut (3 medium size pieces) was thin, hard, and very dry, definitely overcooked. It really tasted frozen and not fresh. I've had better Gortons frozen fish fillets. Seriously. Inexcusable. Has the or chef ever been to Luna Sea or Drift Inn and had their fresh fish and chips? Even the tartar sauce tasted like it was out of a jar. Blah. The French fries were absolutely frozen without any doubt. Half of them were petrified and inedible. Hard as rocks. Service was mediocre. She never came by after our meals were served to see how everything was. Again, that's pretty basic. I will never go back after this experience. We live here in Florence but there are better places to drop our $107 dollars for 2.
This is our second trip here. Breakfast was stellar, highly recommend the schnitzel. Tri Trip sandwich - Served open face. OMG. So good. Just eat it!! Just...go...eat..it. Service was outstanding. Tiny and busy but worth the wait.
I stopped in with a friend for a late lunch. Service was slow, we waited more than half an hour for our food to arrive. I have been here before but couldn't quite remember. Now I do, by their pathetic fries. DO NOT order the fries!!! Undercooked to being almost raw, so the waiter brought us another portion but this portion was a third undercooked, a third overcooked and a third "just right". Oh well, we will eat it. I ordered a cheeseburger after being told the meat is local and the patty is handpressed. I ordered medium-done. Unfortunately the patty was done well, not warm in the middle but hot and fully cooked. And the cheese was a mere sprinkle of shredded cheese over the burger patty. Doesn't quite qualify as a cheeseburger in my book. My friend had an excellent portobello burger so I am giving them 3 instead of 2 stars..... sadly so.
I feel bad leaving a negative review because the staff was genuinely so kind and attentive but the food was just bad. I ordered a steak medium rare and it was basically raw. It came with mashed potatoes which were horrific to put it kindly. Maybe they have a Romanian take on them that I can't appreciate but I find it hard to call these mashed potatoes. I also ordered a side of fries that were the worst fries I've ever had in my life, limp and pathetic which is basically how I feel after eating them. Maybe other things on the menu are better but I would tread cautiously.
2 months ago
Coming in from out of town into Florence Oregon we're looking for a nice meal, and we could not have been more happy with this restaurant. They have a Romanian flair up under neath classic seafood, and Italian dishes. I can tell you we at the table had the best chicken marsala we've ever had! In fact, I'm thinking about driving back down there in a couple weeks and having just that meal. The service was wonderful and the location is quaint. Not a ton of tables, but enough to accommodate. Go here! read more
3 months ago
7 days ago
A group post on Facebook about a breakfast special here that includes fluffy blueberry pancakes drew me to Florence on a rainy weekend morning. I followed another couple in and overheard another table expressing the regret that they had not spent more time so they could eat here again... not too bad for overheard customers reviews. The table behind me ordered a crab and crusted halibut with a side of linguine that you can order it with Alfredo, marinara, or sausage sauce. Next time. I was here for the breakfast special which includes fluffy pancakes, bacon and eggs and fresh fruit...but on another day I would need to try the brisket Benedict. Chef Mari, the Bulgarian name sake of the kitchen, smokes the brisket in house. Breakfast is served all day; they are only closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. I decided to order a virgin Loaded Bloody Mary (they also have a Bloody Maria which is tequila). Sarah the server was the bartender and knew what she was doing. Bloody Virgin Mary came with steaming hot shrimp and just made bacon. Holy mother of God. Spiced with solid, well-deserved tangy kick...to off set the heat. Absolutely beautiful. The pancakes were incredible and lavishly covered with a rich blueberry compote that was thankfully not too sweet. The bacon was thick but not too thick and just salty in just the best way. Very excited about coming back for the other dishes that I saw being served. That's a good sign. Then Mari came out from the kitchen to say hello to some of us. Wonderful. read more
I really enjoyed this restaurant. It is in the old part of the town and looks out on the historic bridge. The place is quaint. The waiter was very freindly and kept making sure that our waters were refilled. He recommended the special which was a crab melt. It was delicious. My partner had the pork schnitzel and he said it was very good! read more
3 months ago
2 months ago
3 months ago
We visited about two weeks ago A bartender and waitress were present only one table was occupied They said seat yourself I did by the window a a minute later my husband joined me a couple came in after us and went to the bar they were served drinks given menus The waitress just left out the door looked at us and left the bartender was making mixes or garnish completely ignored us never said I'll be there in a minute nothing after a week traveling the coast this was the first time We were uncomfortable for being gay and were discriminated against This place actually was recommended by a gay friend named Mari who told it was great I'll never be back and would warn gay travelers not to frequent here read more
Hubby and I are in Florence for a couple days to celebrate our anniversary. We had a lazy day today and wanted to check out the downtown area. When we got hungry, we decided on Mari's Kitchen. Husband had perused the menu ahead of time (as we often do) and their website advertised a Hungarian goulash, which is kind of why had decided on this place (hubby is Hungarian and loves to find dishes that remind him of the flavors his grandmother cooked when he was a child). We were greeted warmly upon walking in and we opted to sit outside as the weather was lovely. We could not locate the goulash on their printed menu and were disappointed when we inquired about it and were told it was no longer being offered. Darn. Hubby and I both chose the chicken marsala instead. Our server, who was terrific, brought our salads (included with the meal) first. They are small and were comprised solely of spring mix, red onion, diced tomato, and some Parmesan on top. The ingredients were fresh, though, and it's probably a good thing that they weren't any bigger as I would have filled up on that before my meal arrived. Our marsala dishes arrived piping hot. A delicious chicken breast, pounded thin, sat atop mashed potatoes and were smothered in a delicious marsala sauce. While the marsala was wonderful, the potatoes really shined through as the star of the dish. There was a flavor about them, almost like a tang, that we thought may have been a dash of lemon juice. Unexpected in mashed potatoes but it really elevated the potatoes and paired very well with the savory flavors of the chicken and sauce. Chicken was cooked perfectly, tender and juicy. My husband commented that he believes this is the best marsala dish he's ever had. My one and only complaint, which is really quite minimal, is that I would have appreciated a vegetable of some sort (aside from the mushrooms in the sauce - I'm thinking along the lines of green beans, broccolini, asparagus, etc) to accompany the chicken. I would have preferred this over the salad. I decided toward the end of our meal that I wanted to try the meatball soup as it was spoken of highly here on Yelp, so I ordered a portion to go. I sampled a bit of it when I got back to our hotel. My first impression is that it was very oily. The portion I received was basically two chunks of celery, one coin of carrot, and perhaps 5 mini meatballs in broth. Decent flavor but a bit underwhelming. Service throughout was attentive, personable, and accommodating. We were disappointed that the dish we came for was no longer offered, but the marsala made up for it. If we lived here locally, this would definitely be a place we would return to. read more
3 months ago
4 months ago
5 months ago
This was our 2nd choice restaurant for dinner & now we know why:/ The staff were friendly. We ordered the Gorgonzola Burger with fries & the Crab Melt also with fries. Like previous Yelpers, the fries were partially cooked, undercooked, & overcooked- all in a single frie:/ The burger was good. The crab melt was lacking in crab (but what was present was tasty). The bread it sat on had very crunchy edges & almost a squishy center:/ read more
2 months ago
1 year ago
I'm pretty disappointed in Mari's after last night. We've previously had great brunch meals there (which they now don't offer?). I hate dissing a local restaurant, but they missed the mark last night. I ordered halibut fish and chips ($24) and they were expecting them to at least be as good as the best on the coast: Luna Sea. Not even close. First, it didn't even come with cole slaw? I ordered a side salad which was extra. But worse was the quality of the fish and chips. The halibut (3 medium size pieces) was thin, hard, and very dry, definitely overcooked. It really tasted frozen and not fresh. I've had better Gortons frozen fish fillets. Seriously. Inexcusable. Has the or chef ever been to Luna Sea or Drift Inn and had their fresh fish and chips? Even the tartar sauce tasted like it was out of a jar. Blah. The French fries were absolutely frozen without any doubt. Half of them were petrified and inedible. Hard as rocks. Service was mediocre. She never came by after our meals were served to see how everything was. Again, that's pretty basic. I will never go back after this experience. We live here in Florence but there are better places to drop our $107 dollars for 2. read more
3 months ago
2 years ago
This is our second trip here. Breakfast was stellar, highly recommend the schnitzel. Tri Trip sandwich - Served open face. OMG. So good. Just eat it!! Just...go...eat..it. Service was outstanding. Tiny and busy but worth the wait. read more
I stopped in with a friend for a late lunch. Service was slow, we waited more than half an hour for our food to arrive. I have been here before but couldn't quite remember. Now I do, by their pathetic fries. DO NOT order the fries!!! Undercooked to being almost raw, so the waiter brought us another portion but this portion was a third undercooked, a third overcooked and a third "just right". Oh well, we will eat it. I ordered a cheeseburger after being told the meat is local and the patty is handpressed. I ordered medium-done. Unfortunately the patty was done well, not warm in the middle but hot and fully cooked. And the cheese was a mere sprinkle of shredded cheese over the burger patty. Doesn't quite qualify as a cheeseburger in my book. My friend had an excellent portobello burger so I am giving them 3 instead of 2 stars..... sadly so. read more
9 months ago
4 months ago
8 months ago
I feel bad leaving a negative review because the staff was genuinely so kind and attentive but the food was just bad. I ordered a steak medium rare and it was basically raw. It came with mashed potatoes which were horrific to put it kindly. Maybe they have a Romanian take on them that I can't appreciate but I find it hard to call these mashed potatoes. I also ordered a side of fries that were the worst fries I've ever had in my life, limp and pathetic which is basically how I feel after eating them. Maybe other things on the menu are better but I would tread cautiously. read more
10 months ago
This is one of those experiences that you wish you didn't have, and that someone gave you fair warning. I'm going to that someone for you. Don't waste your money or time at this restaurant, because it's a sure guaranteed disappointment on all fronts. Initially I had read such great reviews about their food, etc., it was looking forward to a scrumptious breakfast. We weren't greeted when we walked into the restaurant, and it was unclear if we were supposed to wait for a seating, hostess in the crowded space, or seat ourselves. Someone yelled at us from another part of the restaurant, which sounded like we should seat ourselves, but then a man appeared and seated us at a dirty table. He mumbled something about bringing menus when he had a chance, but he didn't know when that was going to be. Eventually, menus appeared, as did a half filled glass of water for each of us. The water was warm, and there wasn't any ice in the glass. We perused the menu, and try to check out what other patrons were being served to see if anything had caught our eye. The man walked by again, and said he would come back whenever he had time. So far, they are at strike two. A woman appeared, and took her order, but she clearly did not want to be bothered. We ordered one hot chocolate, and our breakfast items. The hot chocolate arrived, and the mug was filled 3/4 of the way, and looked and tasted like it was a packet of hot chocolate that you would buy at the grocery store, and they added hot tap water. It absolutely was not drinkable. We ordered the smoked salmon on a toasted bagel, and it probably was the worst tasting salmon I've ever had. I've eaten, smoked salmon, literally my entire life, and I'm not certain where they found this fish at, nor where it was smoked, but it wasn't edible. Not to mention the way the food was literally thrown on a plate, it look like something that anyone could've put together quickly in their own kitchen. Even the onions that were on top of the bagel were poorly cut. Just not restaurant quality whatsoever. The schnitzel, which I've never had served over bread, was served over a toasted croissant with some type of gravy. The gravy was barely warm, and the schnitzel definitely tasted like it had been sitting around for a while. I'm still perplexed as to why it would've been served on top of a close to burnt croissant. We both struggled to share it, and it wasn't much more edible than the lox and bagel. The service was nonexistent, and the attitudes of what clearly is a couple that own this restaurant, are indicative of people that have no clue as to how to run a restaurant, how food should be prepared and served, and their general attitude doesn't belong in a restaurant. Let's not forget how over priced the food was. Avoid the cluster, and dine elsewhere! read more
1 year ago
Location was great and friendly staff. The aroma of garlic was fantastic! Food was good and felt it was freshly made. We ordered the fettuccine Alfredo and, shrimp/crab burger, clam chowder, pork schnitzel w/bacon, and fish and chips. All great especially for picky eaters in my party--there was something for everyone. read more
2 years ago
Came to Mari's because it was highly recommended, but seriously, how does a Romanian-based restaurant survive in a place like this? The answer is, it does. After trying all the seafood on the waterfront and not finding what we were looking, for we tried Mari's and it did not disappoint. We got the Romanian goulash and meatballs and meatball soup and it was crazy good This a a rare instance where you will find authentic food not where you expect it. Do not miss on the opportunity read more
1 year ago
5 months ago
4 months ago
6 months ago
3 years ago
Great service and good food. I appreciate how our server was very accommodating. He looked for a way to sit all 8 of us together for dinner. We ended up with a patio table. It was the perfect setting with the river and the Siuslaw River bridge as our backdrop. Can't beat that kind of ambiance. It was good to get a variety of Italian dishes and more unique items: escargot on the menu. My son really liked the fried oysters. He was not a big fan of pesto. Fortunately, my husband and I were! So we finished the pesto pasta. The escargot tasted good. Although the sauce was a little too salty for me. But i guess it was done on purpose to balance out the flavor when dipping the bread into the dish. We all loved the crab cakes. It was filled with tasty crab and was cooked just right: a but crusty on the outside and soft and tasty in the inside. I'm not a big fan of dipping the crab cakes cause I want to taste the crabs. But the rest of the party enjoyed the sauce that came with it. Glad we landed at Mari's Kitchen for dinner. read more
5 months ago
5 months ago
2 years ago
Absolutely not. No. We willingly ordered menu items with eggs, knowing there was an up-charge. I willingly ordered a waffle with my omelet knowing there was a $3 up-charge. My husband & daughter both ordered clam Chowder with their sandwiches knowing there would be an up-charge. Huge mistakes on our part. We were willing to pay extra for all of those things and it turned out they were all awful. Ironic, isn't it? My waffle was cold. The butter didn't even melt. It was dry & I'm guessing a store bought frozen waffle. It had to have been. They give you your syrup in a to-go syrup. Restaurants don't do that! She gave me only 1. The clam chowder was cold and so salty it couldn't be eaten. It was left in the bowl. I'll say that again. So salty. It's bad. I ordered the meat omelet without sausage. The egg was paper thin. So thin that it looked odd. I can't even call it an omelet. My entire plate was wet from grease. Sausage was in the omelet, but there was an attempt to remove it by the cook. They failed that attempt. The cheese was pre-gratted cheese, and you know that it doesn't melt because they coat it in corn starch at the factory so it doesn't clump. It was not the thick grated cheese either, but rather it was the thin grated cheese. It did not melt. YOU CAN'T USE THAT ON AN OMELET! The ham was lunch meat, not diced ham. My hashbrowns were dehydrated, which can be fine, but I don't think the cook hydrated them before frying them in oil. Too crunchy to eat. I couldn't eat them. The only good thing I ate was the strawberry they used as garnish. 1 strawberry & 1 piece of melon. I didn't eat the melon, so it might have been good. We'll never know. They charge 3% for using your credit card. Who does that in 2025? That was shocking, as I didn't see it posted. I felt like this might have been the most expensive, worst food I've ever had served to me. Absolutely not good to me. The waitress was very nice, but I knew she knew how bad the food was. What waitress sees a full bowl of chowder on one plate, and half an omelet & most of the hashbrowns on another, and doesn't ask if we want a to-go box? She probably has people leave their entire plates full all day long. That's a bad sign. She also didn't check on us. It must be hard to be nice and have this kind of good served. My daughter did say the burger tasted fine, so there's that. Fine. I will never eat at Mari's again. My photos tell the story. read more
2 years ago
Great food! I had the special and I never had a better flat iron steak. It was done perfectly rare. The crab and shrimp on top were over the top. My bride had fish n chips and loved them. The clam chowder was also great. Instantly welcomed by the bartender/waiter and seated. Order placed and hot food served in a reasonable time. Awesome pictures and decor. read more
1 year ago
Our server was the best! I wanted to take her home!! The food was so fresh and wonderful! I highly recommend this place! read more
Stopped in for lunch around 12:30 on a Friday. Not too busy. We were greeted as we walked in and invited to pick any table. We chose a high top table in the front window with a view of the Siuslaw Bridge. After perusing the menu, we decided on the crab melt and halibut fish and chips. Our server was friendly, helpful, and attentive. Our food came out timely, and the presentation was nice. The crab melt was delicious! We loved the garlic aoli it came with. It came with soup or salad, and we chose the clam chowder. It definitely wasn't New England style. It wasn't creamy like I had hoped. It had a clove taste to it as well. It was kind of odd. The halibut fish was super greasy. I liked the cornmeal breading, but it was sitting on a plate in a pool of grease. I used my napkin to squeeze the grease out of the bottom. The halibut was cooked nicely, just overall too greasy. The tartar sauce was flavorless, too. It could use some capers. It just tasted like lemony mayonnaise. Overall, we felt the food was just mediocre. We would definitely come back for the crab melt and maybe try something else from their menu. read more
1 year ago
45 mins to get the food. Fries we terrible, fish was bland. We won't eat here again. I can't believe we waited that long for food if wish we'd just left sitting on the table. Gotta up the game and I firm people of a 45 min wait for food. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
1 year ago
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More info about Mari's Kitchen
1277 Bay St
Florence, OR 97439
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(541) 305-2041
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http://mariskitchenflorence.com
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