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Kawali Grill
Category: Restaurants Filipino Filipino [Edit]
5300 Rainier Ave S(between S 42nd Ave & Brandon St)
Seattle, WA 98118
Neighborhood: Columbia City
(206) 723-6179
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 11 am - 9 pm
Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat 10 am - 10 pm
Sun 10 am - 6 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
63 reviews for Kawali Grill
Review Highlights
"Best Halo Halo we've found in Seattle thus far."
(in 15 reviews)
"I want to go back and try the garlic fried rice."
(in 9 reviews)
"Their lechon kawali is super delicious."
(in 22 reviews)
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63 reviews in English
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Review from MJ M.
Federal Way, WA
8/15/2011
My family and I visited Kawali Grill for breakfast on Sunday. It was mine and my husband's first time and we really wanted to try because we kept hearing that it's either really great or the complete opposite.
Personally, I thought it was awesome. Our group of 7 enjoyed our own heaping plates of traditional breakfast food, which included two eggs, garlic rice, and your meat (longonisa, bangus, tocino, etc.). I ordered the corned beef hash, which was so good! The only downside to it was that it was a little greasy. We also ordered entrees to be shared... The sinigang was sour (how I like it!), but the kare kare was a little bland.
We also ordered desserts: sago and halo halo. The halo halo was very good, although it could use a little more leche flan for my taste. It also doesn't have any beans which I'm not used to. The sago was way too sweet for my taste.
If you go with people who don't like Filipino food, they also serve pasta and traditional American breakfast food.
Definitely will be back! -
Review from Cece C.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 11/14/2011
Okay so someone paid for my lunch here. I thought sure why not. Everyone deserves a chance.
The waitress:
Is she the owner's cousin or daughter? She must have gotten her job from a hook up because she lacks all the qualities of a good waitress. She had this whole I'm too good for this job vibe going on. Like 'Total drama Island.' Blair Waldorf RUDE.
The food:
I orderred tapa. Or shall I say 80%rice 20% meat and egg. The ratio or rice to meat was unacceptable. How offensive to think that the customer wouldn't notice. The flavors weren't all there and I WISH they would use garlic rice.
The desert:
THE LAMEST HALO HALO I HAVE EVER EATEN. They didn't shave the ice. Not enough IceCream. And just because it's very large doesn't make it good. It just means there's more to suffer through.
This place has so much potential. I wish they would consult somebody or ask for input from customers. Chance of coming here again? UNLIKELY1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/10/2010
Dissapointing first time here...I orderred Kare Kare and for those who don't know what that is - its… Read more »
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Review from Pai P.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 7/7/2011
My last review was a 3.5 stars, purely based on food. Thinking back it was an unfair to compare it to Filipino food I've had at friends' homes or parties. Not apples to apples. Sit down restaurant vs. home cooked gatherings where ridiculous amount of delicious food is the minimum requirement.
Updated review should bring it to 4.5 stars, which I think is more fair and accurate. Lechon, sinigang, Filipino breakfast, kid-friendly, free wifi, small family owned run by hard working folks. Nuff said.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/6/2010
I wish there was a way to give half stars, because I would give this place 3.5 stars. I frequent… Read more »
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Review from Ryan N.
Seattle, WA
6/14/2011
THE BEST Filipino restaurant in Washington hands down.
A good variety of filipino dishes to choose from. Portions are large and prices are reasonable. Plating and food presentation put them head and shoulders above the rest of their Asian restaurant competitors.
Huge advantage for their patrons since since the owner was a head chef for the Hilton back in the day.
Occassional live music and karaoke. TV is constantly on the filipino channel though. Also, they should think about beefing up their breakfast portions.
QUICKTIP: Lechon Kawali, Palabok, & Pandan Fried Chicken are my favorites. Order extra rice, you'll need it for sure! -
Review from Ingrid R.
6/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tried the lemongrass chicken and it was very good. Flavorful and perfect to go along with the rice. The family also got a few other dishes. The boyfriend tried the fried chicken (of course) and it was crispy but not too crispy. Pretty good! the portions are huge so it might be a good idea to share with a few people.
Don't forget to have some dessert before you leave! Ube and pineapple/coconut ice creams are great, though keep in mind that they are quite sweet. Halo Halo was a hit too! -
Review from Sheila L.
3/10/2011
I have never been to a filipino restaurant in my entire life but yet I LOVE filipino food which has only been made by my aunt or catered at parties I've attended. :)
I was told most of their authentic dishes (marked with a flag) were really good and either I choose I would be happy with. So we ordered the lechon kawali and pansit. The lechon was omg bomb! It came with a good amount of the lechon and of course my fav part is the crunchy skin! Mm... so good but yet so bad for you. The pansit was pretty good and nice peppery flavor to it. I tried a little bit of the "all purpose" sauce that came with the lechon and I didn't really care for it. The meat was a tad bit dry but I was too busy chewing on the skin to even care. haha..
Overall a good experience minus the sticky bathroom floor... blah! I would definitely come back to try the other dishes such as the fried tilapia with sweet and sour sauce. AND their halo-halo because that looked yummy. Mmm ube ice cream.
And all of the t.v. surrounding the tables with filipino game shows playing on them was hilarious to watch. :) -
Review from Phillip B.
Seattle, WA
12/11/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Kawali, I really want to love you, I really do.
... I just can't. Coming from an Ilokano family, we're all about sensory pleasures, bagoong/alamang needs to be perfectly salty and moist, kare-kare needs to be flavorful even without the purple stuff, dinaguan perfectly thick and our escabeche needs to be grilled with love. However, in the many times I have come here with my family, I have been disappointed.
For one: the service is outrageous. I mean we're Filipinos supporting Filipinos, you would think that usual camaraderie would be there, but nope. With the main guy acting as if we were ruining his day and literally THROWING plates on the table and the waitresses avoiding table requests by sitting behind the tall counter, there were several points where I needed to go up to ask for extra spoons and straws.
Secondly: the portions are outrageous. In a large bowl of sinigang, we found three pieces of meat and tomatoes looked like they were soaking in vinegar, wrinkly .. and crunchy.. if you can imagine. Also, for a nice ten to twelve bucks, we would expect even some taba in there!
Finally, after hearing the stories of my best friend's family and their experiences there, it's a done deal.
* It's not even I hated it from the start, I recommeded it to people who were looking for Filipino food (if they already tried Kawali and Inay's), but they all came back to me frustrated with their hammered open hours.
+1 for keeping my aunts busy with TFC blasting on the two tv sets. -
Review from Nick B.
3/3/2011
Maybe it was my fault for ordering a dish that made the waiter look at me with both astonishment and amusement. I ordered something that was apparently an entire pig pushed through a meat grinder.
The bits and pieces (some hard some soft) were then fried, and by fried I mean FRIZZied. You know gristle? This was a plate full of gristle.
The first five bites were magical. The thick film of fat that was covering the bits of Porky the Pig was enticingly tasty. However, by the 10th and 15th bite I started feeling sick, also noticing that my plate was not seeming to diminish in volume. After eating it for another 5 minutes and realizing that I wasn't making a dent and also that my heart was starting to beat irregularly I put down my fork in defeat.
I would go back to try another dish, but overall the food seemed sub-par although the service was nice. The ambiance was livened by Filipino tv which always seems to feature people dancing and singing all the time. -
Review from Calvin Y.
5/31/2010 6 photos
Our latest brunch adventure took us to Kawali Grill in Columbia City.
They offer their entire menu even during the breakfast hours, so that allowed us to order their lumpias. They are absolutely delicious and their presentation is just wonderful and completely unexpected. I really enjoyed their juices (mango juice and calamansi lemonade) were both refreshing.
We ordered their Longsilog (Filipino Sweet Sausage + Eggs + Garlic Fried Rice) and Tucilog (Marinated Pork + Eggs + Garlic Fried Rice) and a side of Tapa (Beef Steak). I only have two complaints: the marinated pork and beef steak were both really greasy and the garlic fried rice was bland and could use a lot more garlic!
The breakfast was a nice first meal at Kawali Grill and I am curious to come back for dinner to see more of their menu!Listed in: The Best Part of Waking Up:…
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Review from Jerome B.
Kent, WA
8/5/2010 2 photos
If it were up to me, and if I wanted to find great filipino food at reasonable prices in the Seattle area, I WOULD GO HERE.
I think the only turnoff (which can easily be forgotten because of the wonderful food) is the location. It's on Rainier Avenue in South Seattle. From the outside, this place looks SUPER GHETTO. The un-needed large green decals on the outside windows just add to the dingy appeal. But in the inside, you are welcomed to sit on one of the few tables with TFC (the filipino channel) on one of the flat screen TVs
But whatever, I'm over the environment because the food is amazing here. Who would have thought such delicious food could come in this hole in the wall location. I've been here several times in the past 2 years and I have had their Lechon Kawali, which by the way in amazing. The juicy and flavorful lechon kawali hit the spot for me and my cravings for filipino cuisine. Along with the "mang tomas" all purpose sauce, it was to die for. I've also had the Pandan Fried Chicken which was also one of my favorites of this restaurant. personally, they put the sauce on the chicken, but I prefer the sauce to be on the side (like most things like teriyaki chicken, haha). The food presentation is set very nicely on the plate. very gourmet-esque to me =)
Time for desert! HALO HALO. Its basically crushed ice, with condensed milk, fruits, jellies, ice cream, and flan. OH MY GOD, this is probably the BEST halo halo I've had in the United States. WAY better than Cusina Filipina. WAY better than Chow King. WAY better than fil-cuisine in Kent. They give you the option to choose either Ube or Vanila flavored ice cream. AND... the best part, they DON'T add beans to the Halo Halo. I HATE BEANS on my halo halo, and I'm so glad that it's not included here!!
So, if you don't mind venturing out to South Seattle, I would DEFINITELy recommend this restaurant, and.. like I've said in the past, I advocate for supporting small businesses!!! -
Review from Bri V.
Renton, WA
2/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was the first time EVER trying this type of food. And I liked it!
I had the Chicken Adobo. It was bit salty but very tasty with the rice. I went with a group so I tried some other dishes like the Kare-Kare which was VERY tasty and the Lechon Kawali.
Being new to the food, I thought it was great. I'm not sure what one of the reviewers was talking about in terms of making things with "love" (Stupid). I think the food along with my friends (who are Fili) agreed that this was great if not familiar food and that's all that is asked for. Anything beyond is called "selling out".
Oh yeah, the Halo-Halo was HUGE and for a first timer, it was very tasty!
Check it out!
"Ang kapayapaan ay sumasaiyo" -
Review from Zachary Sam Z.
Seattle, WA
I'm sad that we almost didn't make it in to try this place. It supposedly opens at 10 for brunch, so when 10:15 rolled around and they were still closed, I started driving back to Geraldine's Counter.
But wouldn't you know it? Just as I pull out of the parking lot, they flip on the Open sign and start raising the window blinds.
So, we're back! I was excited to try a non-dinery fare for brunch, and Kawali Grill was solid. I ordered the Longsilog and the calamansi lemonade. The lemonade was really tasty, and I enjoyed the sweet sausage with the Longsilog! The sausage portion was pretty small, but they made up for it by filling the ginormous plate with 2/3 rice and some fried eggs on the side.
When I read about garlic fried rice on here, my mind wandered to Aloha Ramen, which serves a garlic fried rice with their ramen dishes. I have to admit, that set my expectations pretty high, and Kawali didn't quite meet them in that department. So: For the best garlic fried rice, it's still Aloha Ramen; for a different take on brunch with some tasty food, it's Kawali Grill!Listed in: Bunches of Brunches
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Review from Samantha G.
Seattle, WA
5/4/2010 2 Check-ins Here
When my friends drag me to Filipino restaurants in the Seattle area, I never feel excited. Kawali Grill is now the exception! During my first visit I ordered palabok and I am pretty picky with the consistency of the dish. I don't like it when the sauce of the dish is too runny or thick but kawali manages to get it just right. Their lechon kawali is super delicious. The skin is crispy and salty but the meat is slightly juicy.
My favorite thing to order here is definitely their leche flan. The presentation alone makes me smile and just stare at it. Haha seriously! And I just love to take my time and savor this dessert.
I also recommend ordering their calamansi soda. It's very refreshing. -
Review from Le M.
1/26/2010 ROTD 7/26/2010
Full disclosure: I was once a Pinoy until Uncle Sam made me pledge allegiance to the almighty dollar and give up my green passport. Rice and adobo has been in my system until I relocated to Seattle. If you're white or black, your first lesson is the word: Kamusta!
WHY GO THERE? The only decent Filipino restaurant south of Seattle. Sorry, Inay's or Kusina Filipina, cooked food drying up in warmers all day is not restaurant-style dining. At Kawali Grill, your food is made as you order by a chef who once worked at Top of the Hilton.
WHATCHA GOT? I can eat anything they offer, including the ox tail; but assimilated with Kano (white man) for years, I know where line is drawn at dining. The fried pork lumpia is sure to please. The spring roll is to Asian restaurants, what calamari is to American. If you want to experience true Filipino dining, forget the salad or sandwiches (no Filipino household serve them). Go for the entree's: Pandan fried chicken is well-marinated, chicken inasal and beef inihaw is filling, and the adobo tasty. For dessert, nothing is more satisfying than halo-halo - a glassful of sweet beans, tapioca, kaong, nata de coco, topped with shaved ice, milk and flan. (I want to give this restaurant 4 stars, but the halo-halo ingredients have been inconsistent)
YOU GOT SERVED. The service is friendly, but like halo-halo lacks consistency the several times I dined. I wish the windows are clear of signage, the interior more modern Filipino instead of the typical Quiapo decor for a better ambiance.
SUGGESTION - Substitute adobo rice for plain white rice. It is more delicious! Which leads us to your last lesson of the day: Masarap! A complement goes a long way. -
Review from Jeff G.
1/12/2008
In your face Ezells. The fried chicken here is better than anything you can dish out. Chicken thighs and breasts are marinated with coconut milk, ginger and soy sauce, coated in Panko and fried perfectly crunchy on the outside, moist and flavorful on the inside. They also make an outstanding pansit with your choice of rice or egg noodles. It's loaded with meat and veggies and has a buttery, soy flavor.
This place is so clean and cheerful that I literally pulled my car over to take a look at what was being served here. It was too crowded that day for lunch but I came back the next day and was not disappointed.Their breakfast menu looks great, but, unfortunately they only serve that until noon; though the waitress said that they will make breakfast on request if they're not busy. I plan on coming back ASAP to give that a try.
This spot is about a quarter mile south of the main drag of Columbia City and would be well worth driving the few extra blocks to check out. -
Review from Allie S.
7/23/2009
Yep. I'm white. However, through the wondrous thing known as marriage I was blessed with a Filipina aunt and the extended family that comes along with it. Yep, it means every holiday at my aunt's house is the kind of holiday I request off work and mark off dates on the calendar for, counting down to the day when I will stuff myself to the gills with amazing adobo and lechon and pansit and whatever else I'm lucky enough to have a chance at. Everyone in my family is an amazing cook. I know I'm fortunate, but I also can't rely on them to satiate my every craving for Filipino food, no matter how much I wish I could.
Came here with my cousin Andrea when we couldn't pester her mom into cooking for us. Boo.
Super delicious lumpia and oh gosh, their pansit... I'm almost drooling just thinking about it.
However, there's a reason this isn't higher ranked... to be honest, neither Andrea or I were very pleased with the lechon in our pinakbet. I wanted to love it... but I couldn't -- I think we also had a bad batch [as Nina put in her review]. The rest of the dish was great but the lechon detracted from it, which is sad.
I'll definitely be back to try out breakfast, because hotsilog is amazing -- hopefully when that happens I'll be able to bump them up to four stars =) -
Review from Nina N.
7/19/2009
ok I must admit they probably had an off day, and the lechon was just an old batch, but that is no excuse for a plate of lechon skin and no meat. I felt bad for my foodie friend that had been raving about their lechon and I told him we'd go when I came home to visit. So I did and it was ok, not amazing just ok. I wish it was during rush hour lunch time, and they were selling lechon like hot cakes, but it was luke warm and full of skin.Wth was that about? 10 bucks for lechon skin and rice? Forget that. However, their fried chicken was pretty tasty. I guess, I feel like it wasn't anything that special either. It was panko crusted and deep fried with that sweet chili sauce that you can buy out of a bottle.(Not impressive)
All in all I have come to the conclusion that I like my friend's mom's filopino cooking better. Restaurant filopino food is not even worth spending my money on. They will always make it a little americanized and not authentic. I guess it is like that in most "ethnic" restaurants, but I wish it weren't. I just hope to get invited to one of my filopino friends parties!!!!! They are like vietnamese parties... all the food you can have. -
Review from Kristine H.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 8/8/2009 18 photos
Ano ang nangyari, Kawali Grill? What happened to the excellent service and the good food that I recently enjoyed? Well, to be fair the food was as good but the service wasn't... but I'm getting ahead of myself. Allow me to explain.
Since the Yelp event, I couldn't stop raving about the tastiness here so I took my boyfriend and best friend to sample their Filipino cuisine. I recommended some dishes for us all to share. The first was their Lechon Kawali - crispy pork belly served with steamed rice, and sautéed vegetables. I had no complaints with the lechon, that was solidly made like what nanay would do. The vegetables was overcooked and the rice had a gelatinous crust. Imagine if you dished it hot into a container and then let it cool down - not appetizing in the least bit. Pinakbet and beef Inihaw were the other two dishes. Neither of my companions had a frame of reference for their dishes but after sampling them, they were also well made.
So if the food was solid, why am I writing another review to amend my first one? Plain and simple, our service was horrible. Our server took his time in bringing our drinks and when I asked for a glass of ice, it took multiple visits for him to finally bring it. There was another server setting place settings with a tub of cutlery and napkins. I asked her politely for an extra napkin and without replying, she set some down on the table. I thanked her and she walked away with no response.
I was embarrassed to have extolled the virtues of this place only to have the service undermine the food. It felt like no one in the restaurant wanted us there and even after the check was dropped, the server took about ten minutes to retrieve it. No thank you for coming or have a nice day just silence. And I don't think it was because they were running on island time or having a bad day. The two employees who worked the dining room genuinely put off the attitude that we could leave now but didn't do anything to facilitate our speedy egress.
Well you got your wish. I won't come back for a long while. I'm willing to give them another chance because the food was good and my nanay has no plans to move to Seattle to cook for me. If we do return and the service is as bad as this particular visit, I will definitely say something to management and strike them completely from the roster of restaurants.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/25/2009
As part of my summer list of projects, I've finally gotten around to penning some tardy reviews.… Read more »
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Review from Lisa H.
Seattle, WA
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
There's only a few filipino restaurant here in Seattle...and Kawali Grill is by far the best. I love...LOVE the kare-kare and the palabok which I always get. And great service.
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Review from Christine Y.
Renton, WA
3/14/2009
So Alvin and I don't usually go to Filipino restaurants and it's usually because mom (alvin's mom) makes the best Filipino food! that's probably also why there were never really any filipino restaurants when we lived at home cuz everyone always thought their mom's made it better! (large filipino community in Kitsap County)
now, however, mom is a little too far to turn to for good filipino food! so when we have a little craving for Alvin's home we head out to Kawali's Grill! we have tried a couple other places but I enjoy this place the most so far! yummy Longanisa (a sweet sausage which you will only find on the breakfast menu but you can still order it any time), the pansit was pretty good, and Alvin got his favorite kari kari! (i'm too lazy to explain but it's pretty good also!) my favorite item on the menu, however, is the calamansi juice!!!! Mmmmm!!! yummy! sweet but not too sweet! very refreshing! (jus to sum it up calamansi is basically a filipino lemon...it looks like a mini lime but it tastes like a cross between an orange and a lemon)
I know everyone has different tastes but I think this place is worth trying at least once! =D -
Review from MiChin L.
Seattle, WA
1/17/2008
I hope this place makes it. This building seemed cursed with the couple of Vietnamese joints prior to Kawali that held grand openings, then immediate grand closings. But after reading the PI review and eating there a couple of times, I think it's gonna be allll right. And I'm feeling much better about trusting that all the bad juju has been exorcised out.
The first time we went I was surprised at how...well...GREAT everything looked and tasted. The salmon was beautifully plated and the fried rice was buttery and delicious. Then I found out that the chef used to be the executive chef at the Seattle Hilton, and it all made sense. The food was good. However, the first visit ended with a disgusting purple yam candy thing that came with the check, and it swiftly wiped out any memory of the decent meal we had just enjoyed. It tasted like play-doh, only gross (what, you don't like play-doh??). And it was enough to scare us away for a few months.
Second visit was for breakfast. My guy had the Snoqualimie oatmeal (he's a breakfast lightweight) and was happy with it. But oatmeal doesn't count, so let's focus on what I had: The fried rice, bbq pork and fried egg breakfast. You ain't lived until you've had bbq pork for breakfast. It was porkilicious, and the fried rice, again...buttery and perfect. And at the end of the meal, the check came with individually wrapped tic-tacs this time.
May 2008 update: We're now regulars here. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, it doesn't matter--we're hooked. Another reviewer complained that the menu was too diverse, which I don't understand since the place does everything pretty well. I actually think it's a good thing because there truly is something for everyone on the menu. The Filipino dishes are obviously the house specialty, but your less-adventurous friends or old fogey fuddy-duddy relatives won't feel too lame if you bring them here.
Great job Kawali, keep it coming and thank you for bringing some awesome food to the neighborhood! -
Review from James C.
Seattle, WA
Best Filipino restaurant in Seattle. I'm a regular because the food is good and priced reasonable. If someone in your party want something else, there are a lot of other choices to choose from. I've tried about half the menu and the food is pretty good. I like the presentation of the food also, must be from when the owner use to work as a chef for brand name hotel.
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Review from Dawn R.
Seattle, WA
5/24/2008 1 photo
If there is anything I like better than trying new cuisines and restaurants, it is trying them with my mom. I love that she is willing to break down my stereotypes about people who live in Spokane.
Last night she convinced me we should go for a walk, and I figured why not walk to Columbia City for dinner. Columbia City is a short car ride from my place. And a bit longer walk than I predicted. So when we got to the Kawali Grill, a place I had driven by a thousand times but never stopped at, I was more than willing to sit down and try something new.
I confess, I have never tried Filipino food before and really wasn't sure what to expect. The menu had an awful lot of overly familiar sounding things I really wasn't interested in, but they did have a nice set of house specials that intrigued me.
I decided to try the Oxtail Kuri Kuri. For some reason I have been craving oxtails something awful lately. I'm not sure why. This was like a peanut sauce based stew, but much less sweet than a Thai peanut sauce, and not spicy. It included maybe 4 or 5 big chunks of oxtail (with bone, of course), a handful of green beans, and an equal portion of eggplant slices all stewed in the peanut sauce and served with white rice. It also came with a shrimp paste as condiment that I quite liked. The dish didn't blow me out of the water, but I think this was simply because my pallet was so unfamiliar with it that it didn't know what to make of it. I suspect I will be craving this in a few weeks and need to go back for more ;)
My mom had a whole fish cooked in sweet and sour sauce. I was proud of her for being daring, as I could tell she was at first very turned off when the waiter told her it came with the head still on. It was a bit of work, but not that much, to get the meat off the bones. She found it a bit dry, but I really liked how on the bottom half the sauce got cooked into the meat that made it almost like fish candy.
We also had a Filipino lemon-aid that was less tart and more sweet (not quiet syrupy) than I am used to, but not bad...just different.
The wait staff was incredibly helpful and friendly, and the place is really cute. Overall well worth trying out (after reading other reviews, I'm dying to try the fried chicken).Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Jennilee B.
Seattle, WA
4/26/2008
So I usually don't eat as much Filipino food as I'd like to. Actually, the only time I do get a chance to is either when I go to my mom's house or at a family party- which is rare, due to my chaotic schedule. So I figured, what better way to calm the Filipino food hunger pang than to head to this place.
Playing it safe, which I shouldn't have, I ordered the Beef Inihaw- which tasted more like beef teriyaki than inihaw. The garlic fried rice though which accompanied this dish, was yummy but wasn't as garlicky as I was used to. But, the calamansi juice- oh the calamansi juice! Super sweet/sour/bring-me-back-to-the-Philippines goodness!
Dessert on the other hand, pretty good. I ordered the bibingka- which is a rice flour cake served with vanilla sauce- can't go wrong with that.
I want to go back, maybe to try the Kare-Kare, which by the way is a peanut-butter-stew-oxtail-dish, daring, I say..... -
Review from Occam W.
Seattle, WA
5/20/2011
It seems authentic, but I don't know if it's good. Filipino's might like it, but it didn't agree with me. The lumpia was good and the chicken adobo was alright, but nothing special. The other thing I got was almost all pork fat with crispy skin(lechon, I think). I couldn't eat it. So, it's not to say this place is bad, it's just not my style.
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Review from Yvette B.
Renton, WA
3/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Still not as good as home cooked. I had the bistek, which is one of my fave filipino dishes... it was just ok.
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Review from Daryll H.
New York, NY
7/25/2010
We stopped by here as it was the only place open late on a sunday afternoon that seemed to sell bubble tea. (I dunno, it was a craving)
We had taro milk tea, and it was really insanely thick. Not the best I've ever had. -
Review from Jeremy M.
7/16/2010
The food was good, similiar to what I had before at friends family party. The service was decent for what I was expecting from this place, final thoughts:
Good pork adobo
awesome dessert -
Review from Shari d.
8/28/2008
My husband grew up around many Titas making their versions of Filipino cuisine. When he discovered there was a new Filipino restaurant in our neighborhood he jumped at the chance to see if it equaled and possibly surpassed the dishes of his childhood.
He happily ordered Palabok Fiesta along with Sinigang and opted to order me the Cedar Plank Salmon to ensure that I would have something familiar to eat.
My salmon was extremely overcooked and the crab rice it was served with should have specified KRAB as it was fake crab which equals hives when I eat it. What disappointed me more was the look on my husband's face when he started to eat his meal. The Palabok had strange noodles ( which I could write off as a regional difference between Kawali and his family ) as well as a soupy consistency. Determined to enjoy his meal my husband whipped out a frying pan to try and correct the consistency. He appeared to enjoy his Sinigang but a few minutes later he was adding seasonings to that as well. All in all it fell short of his expectations. To ensure my salmon dish wasn't a fluke I tried a few bites of his food. While tasty, I did not appreciate the fact that the only reason it tasted the way it did was because my husband tweaked the flavors and consistency.
He still wants to go back to try the breakfast...constantly assuring me that there is no way they could mess up a Filipino breakfast. We will see...however I am almost positive he will have to make that food trip alone. -
Review from Brandon H.
Seattle, WA
2/1/2008
Your next meal should be at Kawali grill.
Or breakfast at least, that's what I just had at this unlikely little place in Columbia City. Perfectly cooked eggs(so fluffy that 2 eggs look like 4) and with "garlic fried rice", lightly fried steamed rice with a little shoyu(soy sauce) and garlic. All presented on a pristine white plate in a visually pleasing way, everything at this place is just a little better than you'd expect, and for me, that makes for a 5 star rating. Besides, it's comfort food made by a fine dining chef for under 10 bucks, should I even have to try to convince you? -
Review from Rey M.
Seattle, WA
2/4/2009
I've been eating Filipino food for lunch at least 2-3 times a month. Well at least the last 3 years. There are 5 places I often go to and what suprised me is that I have never made my way down here. I heard it mentioned recently in a few conversation so off we headed to Columbia City in Rainier Valley to check it out. I was caught by suprise to find out its been open for over 2 years now. For some reason I thought it has just opened recently. Guess word doesnt spread out much. All I was hoping for is that it wasnt because the food wasnt good.
Walking in I was allready impressed. It was lunch time and the place was packed. Everyone seemed to be enjoying there meal and by looks of the dishes on there table, my mouth was allready watering. I could hardly wait. The menu was plenty and the prices were under 10$.
We started are meal off with Lumpia Sariwa. I have not seen this in any of the filipino restaurants I have eatan at so I was excited. To my dissapointment, it was only ok. They put peanut sauce on it, wasnt that brown sweet clear sauce that I'm used to seeing. Well maybe the rest of my meal would be much better. It only fit that I ordered Lechon Kawali since this is the Kawali Grill. Was it ever so good! I enjoy it very much, it made up for the appetizer. The menu was plenty and there are many favorites of mines to choose from. The portions here where more then enough. The dish I ordered could feed two.
Overall it was a very good experience. The food was great, aside from the lumpia sauce. The price was right, the portions seemed very generous, and the athmosphere is very welcoming. The staff was prompt and very friendly. I cannot wait to come back and try the other dishes on there menu. Enjoy!Listed in: Best to Worst Filipino.....
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Review from Quintin D.
Redmond, WA
11/17/2009 1 photo
As a Seattlite and of Phillippine descent, Filipino restaurants are certainly hard to come by, especially on the East Side. But once in awhile, you can find a gem of a place, such as Kawali Grill.
Not exactly on the East Side (located in Columbia City, just south of Seattle), my wife and I found a modest establishment and decided to try it out.
The lumpia was fresh and crispy. A great start to our meal. I proceeded to order the Sinigang Na Bangus and that didn't disappoint. Wonderfully salty (haha), with just the right abount of milk fish profiling had this dish dancing on my palate.
My wife ordered the Ginataan -- and, wow! The coconut sauce married with the clams, mussels and shrimp can make any over-rice offering cry in shame. Simply delicious.
We would defnitely come here to dine again. And, again. And we'll bring more folks with us, as we are to eager to try more of Kawali's selections! -
Review from Steph C.
Houston, TX
4/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
The food was good, but it didn't taste very Filipino-y. Home cooked Filipino food is still beyond compare, but from the rave reviews I expected a bit more.
The Sinigang was by far my favorite - tamarind-y soup with huge hunks of pork hocks. I love me some pork hocks. Yum.
The Lechon was ok - not much meat on them huge bones. Still satisfying to munch on fat and super thick crunchy skin.. but it wasn't that great in terms of flavor.
Chicken Adobo was ok. Pancit was ok. Those two tasted more Chinese-y than Filipino-y.
I have to say, it was good food, but my Filipino friend wasn't satisfied in regards to its authenticity, and we both liked the Pata at Inay's better if you're looking for Filipino pork. -
Review from Jane A.
6/3/2008
As much as I am a support to Filipino uprisings, I have to drop my two centovs about this place. Maybe I shouldn't be quick to judge since I've only been here once and will keep it that way and I've been around and tried other Filipino restaurants from Cali to NYC.
1) I liked the sabow in the Sinigang, but i accidently ordered the sinigang hamhocs and didnt like the hamhocs in my soup. too much taba and too little meat.
1a) eating sinigang with my rice I discovered a piece off plastic wrapping paper on my plate. whomp whomp whomp.
2) the shortribs were delicious. so that made up for what made my palate lose taste.
3) Service was fast. People were nice. They need a fan in their because it gets pretty warm on those rare sun days in Seattle. -
Review from Dianne C.
7/2/2008 5 photos
Came here about a week ago after an overturned decision to try Kusina Filipina... and it was pretty decent. (I'm up for trying any Filipino restaurants. My mom doesn't cook enough, and so I haven't learned enough... and, therefore, don't get to eat enough. Why do you think I gain so much weight when I go to the Philippines?)
Notes:
1. The kalamansi juice is from concentrate (which I don't mind too much, considering the import restriction), but it has quite a bit of sugar.
2. The kare-kare doesn't have tripe?
3. Non-Filipino garnish. That's fine, everyone improvises with their own recipes. Given that, it makes for a fairly good (but not necessarily Filipino) presentation.
4. Shortcuts. Some of the ingredients taste like it was bought canned-prepared at the grocery store, although it could have been prepared by the restaurant... and peeps do prepare said ingredients themselves.
5. A considerable portion of the Filipino community pile in at the strike of noon. Get there early if you want to be seated.
6. Ham and egg omelettes, wut? Haha. That's cool.
7. Whoa, a bar?
Setting all that aside, it was decent. My friends all enjoyed it. I liked it 'nuff to be interested in going back. -
Review from Tom M.
Seattle, WA
3/8/2008
Every 8th month or so -- generally only during the leap year and with a half-moon in the sky above -- I get fed up eating the more ubiquitous Asian food staples from the great countries of Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Japan and China. When this happens, I find myself searching for the more obscure Asian cuisines. Cambodian? Laotian? Malaysian?
Filipino food rarely became part of the discussion, largely because of the dearth of viable dining venues that could even come close to cooking it as well as my mother-in-law...and, unfortunately, she lives in South Carolina. So I was truly thrilled to find the Kawali Grill, a restorative thrill for this Filipino food fanatic (or as my mother-in-law would say, the 'Pilipino pood panatic').
Kawali has three things going for it: 1) The food is excellent and reasonably priced; 2) The menu is varied, a not unimportant factor since most Filipino restaurants seem to offer Pansit and Chicken Adobo and then quickly move to dishes with questionable Pinoy provenance, like Spaghetti; 3) The atmosphere is down home and friendly.
Balut aside, Filipino food is actually quite accessible for the American palate, and with Kawali, there is hope that more people will be introduced to this wonderful country's cooking. -
Review from Vicky J.
Seattle, WA
5/19/2009
I've been here once, and I feel like I need to go back. I was craving Thelma's special so of course I got the lechon kawali. Although it wasn't what I expected, it was still good, and the pork skin still made that lovely crunch sound when I bit down. YUMMMM. Just like potato chips.
The lumpia was tasty, and displayed very nicely. Roommate had the adobo, which is the only Filipino dish I think he enjoys, even though he is pure. Again, this dish wasn't what he expected, since it had vegetables in it. (GASP!) So he ate all the meat, and left the veggies. Because he's the kind of guy who pours doritos into a bowl for breakfast and eats them with chopsticks. Anyway. I did put some of the soup on top my rice, and it was good.
I want to go back and try the garlic fried rice. Now that I think I can become a huge fan of. Also, the Filipino game shows that were playing on all the TV's is also something I could get addicted to. Pau. -
Review from Sherwin T.
Seattle, WA
5/11/2008
OK, it smells like a Filipino restaurant and most definitely looks like a Filipino restaurant - there certainly were LOTS of Filipinos in the dining room - but when you open the menu, you might be in store for a little bit of shock...
In all my 34 years of Filipino-ness, I've never seen a "Filipino restaurant" serve penne pasta, club sandwiches, goat cheese salad (the only salad Filipinos eat is fruit salad!)...I think I even saw a burger. I'd be less appalled if these were Filipino renditions of non-Filipino food, but my friend's hubby ordered the aforementioned club and it was straight-up Western-style, french fries and all. To add insult to emotional injury, most of the Filipino dish options were relegated to a tabletop menu holder...almost seeming like an afterthought.
After I got over my Filipino moment of drama, we decided on lunching family style and ordered up the lumpia, palabok, kare kare (after a friend highly recommended it), fried chicken and teriyaki beef short rib.
Using the same metrics from my review of Inay's:
+ Lumpia = 6 (good flavor, but skinny, skinny - and well wrapped lumpia prevents the good stuff inside from popping out - this wasn't well wrapped)
+ Palabok = 7 (great sauce, tender bihon noodles, but missing some of the toppings that mama offers up when she makes this)
+ Kare Kare = 8.5 (this was REALLY good and almost as good as mom's, BUT the bagoong alamang - shirmp fry paste - could've been saltier)
+ Fried Chicken = 5 (they use panko for breading, but instead of fried chicken, these came across more like chicken nuggets)
Kawali is suffering somewhat from an identity crisis - they'd get more stars if they JUST gave up the "American menu". I'd love it if they focused on the Filipino food, cause they do a really good job at it! I'd encourage you to eat here, but be prepared to search a little for the Filipino food. -
Review from J F.
Renton, WA
7/22/2009 7 photos
If you're coming to a restaurant, don't compare their food to your mom's or your grandma's cooking. Each chef offers their own take on a traditional dish and it may take some time to develop a liking...
Good Filipino restaurants in Seattle are hard to come by so most have the "turo-turo" style. I love Kawali Grill because I can sit down and enjoy my plate of food because not only does it look good, it tastes good! The only confusion I have is including pasta dishes on the menu but it could be forgiven if the Spaghetti has hot dog and tastes sweet. =D Other than that, I keep coming back because I can eat Filipino Food freshly-made and nicely plated.
My favorites are the Ukoy, Lechon Kawali, and Pinakbet. I have yet to come early enough for breakfast. -
Review from Sophia M.
WA
11/2/2008
Just not good. Point blank.
If I'm proven otherwise. i'll post a new review. but this place is not the truth
