The photo above has been taken from the corner table of Matt’s in the Market.
The restaurant is in the heart of Pike Market but is not touristy because it is hard to find. It sits on the second floor of the building across the street.
If you sit along the windows, you’ll see the neon sign and the clock. If your table is next to the kitchen, you can watch the cooks work and also see the Puget Sound. On a sunny day (it happens sometimes…), during lunch time the light shines into the restaurant through the old windows. It is really pleasant.
The atmosphere is charming and casual. The food is local, fresh and delicious. Seafood is fantastic. The fish of the day, Halibut, was perfectly cooked.
Be smart! Make a reservation! The place is not big.
The restaurant does not take reservations so it can be almost impossible to have a table unless you are comfortable with waiting 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Expect a longer wait if you have a party of more than 2.
Tips:
We went on a Tuesday and the restaurant runs a little bit slowly on that day of the week. At 7:30, we only waited 20 minutes close to the fire pit in the patio and had a cocktail while we waited.
If the wait is really too long for you, you can go across the street and have dinner at Joule or The Whale wins. 2 places we already talked a lot about.
At Manolin, the menu is very short. Plates are supposed to be shared: they offer 4 fish plates, 3 vegetables plate, 4 main dishes from the grill, and 3 desserts. Everything was very tempting on the menu, and we finally opted to share 5 plates.
Albacore Ceviche with quinoa and grapefruit (pictured)
Rockfish ceviche, lime, chili, with sweet potato,
White anchovy with beets, (pictured)
Winter vegetable slaw, spicy almonds (pictured)
Grilled beef, potato, radish
It was really really good. Everything was very subtle. The Albacore Ceviche was very fresh and light. The rockfish ceviche had a delicious balance of taste. The beef was perfectly cooked and so were the small potatoes. The winter vegetable slaw had a very nice sauce and the spicy almonds were a perfect addition.
Our waiter was super nice and all the staff very friendly. The place is simply but warmly decorated.
I may go back very soon. They offer happy hour from 4 to 6pm
If you are around Alki Beach on a sunny or at least clear day, I have a suggestion for you. Marination Makai with Hawaiian specialities, umbrellas, deck, and an awesome view of the Seattle skyline is the perfect spot.
And for a little adventure, if you come from Seattle Downtown, take the Water Taxi. Marination is just in front of you at the Water Taxi Dock.
