Grillbird West Seattle — Restaurant in Seattle

By the shimmering stars of Merlin's beard! As a wizard of considerable (if I do say so myself, and I often do!) renown, I've tasted ambrosia spun from moonbeams and nibbled on clouds seasoned with pixie dust. Yet, I tell you, good people of the mundane realm, the spicy poke bowl from Grillbird in West Seattle has cast a spell upon my very soul!

Hark! Imagine, if you will, grains of rice, each a tiny pearl of the earth, mingling with the crisp tang of pickled cucumbers and the gentle pop of edamame. Then, a sprinkle of fried onions for a delightful crunch, a whisper of pickled ginger to cleanse the palate, and a verdant scattering of green onions, all embraced by a sweet tamari glaze that sings on the tongue. It is not mere food, my friends, but a symphony! A delightful, dizzying dance of flavor and texture, a complexity that somehow feels utterly, wonderfully good for the very fabric of your being.

And the proteins! Oh, the glorious proteins! While their teriyaki plates whisper sweet enchantments and the other options beckon with savory allure, it is that spicy poke that truly sings a siren song to this old wizard's heart.

After partaking in this culinary sorcery, I swear the very air tasted sweeter, the sun shone brighter, and existence itself felt like a grand, delightful adventure. I felt… rejuvenated, as if a powerful healing potion had coursed through my veins.

And the keepers of this magical kitchen! The employees of Grillbird are not mere mortals; they are a fellowship of kindness, a coven of helpfulness! They move with the seamless grace of well-practiced spells, a true team working towards one glorious dream: to bestow upon the world the gift of truly magnificent food.

Five stars? Nay! I'd give them five galaxies if I could! Go forth, dear mortals, and taste the magic for yourselves! You won't regret it. By the mystic fires of my...

Parking could be better but it is what it is. I do drive a Amazon van which is wider and longer than most regular Van's so I can't really complain too much about parking. It looks like they are remodeling inside so the appearance of the inside or atleast the lobby is.... bare. Not much sitting either. 4 benches that sit 3 to 4 people. Menu is somewhat easy to read. They used the same pink color with 3 different shades. The smaller texts are almost hard to see because how close the background color and text color are. Maybe making the text 'Bolder' might help.

The food though! Ooooh~! I only had the chicken katsu which was crispy, somewhat juicy but could be a little more juicy, but did taste good on it's own. THE SAUCE! I love the katsu sauce. Better than the one near my home. I can't explain how the sauce tasted because it is not fresh in my head. Had it yesterday but it was GOOD! Although one of the chicken katsu seemed.... thin...? Not a lot of meat is all I'm saying. This time though! I got the 'Sesame Garlic' Crispy Chicken. This one had small to big pieces of crispy chicken with the sesame garlic glazed all over each piece and still crispy if you eat it right away. It reminds me of orange chicken probably because there is a tang but still way different. You taste a little bit of sweetness and tang with the sesame and garlic. There is more to it but it's not fresh in my head..... again... sigh...

REGARDLESS! This place is great and I hope more...

Like many people in the Seattle, I have eaten a lot of teriyaki over the years. Some of it was good; most of it was just ok. This is probably the first time that I've had teriyaki and thought "This is awesome!"

On this initial trip I tried the tofu, chicken, and pot roast. First of all, pot roast teriyaki is thing in your life that you have been missing. Why is this not a dish served everywhere? It perfectly marries wonderfully fatty beef chuck roast and the intense umami flavors of teriyaki. Along with the excellent greens I will be getting these again many times for sure. I hope that pot roast remains a staple at Grillbird (at least in the colder months).

The chicken was juicy and flavorful, thankfully not overwhelmed by cloying teriyaki sauce. I've seen other reviews that are mournful of the lack of sauce, but that's what the extra sauce on the side is for. Personally, I like a protein that doesn't have to have hide behind an overwhelming sauce or topping.

The tofu and greens were also very tasty. The intense garlic flavor of the sauce really adds a lot of flavor and depth to both.

As for the staff...wow, they seem like a great group of people! The owner, Matt, makes you feel like an old friend coming in for the 100th time, even though it was only my first. That energy is present in the rest of the staff, which really made this a great experience.

This is first of many trips I will be making to Grillbird. I suggest you...