Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant
2334 2nd Avenue
Seattle, WA 98121 (206) 956-0500
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
54 Reviews for Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant
AWESOME!!! We randomly popped into this place and was wowed! It wasn't just a meal, it was an experience! The service was amazing, the food was absolutely delicious and catered very well to vegetarians, even though there is a ton of meat on the menu. The prices are great! A 5 course meal for 17 bucks?! With belly dancers too!?
I had the vegetarian couscous, it was perfect. The spices, the texture, the veggies-absolutely great! I just can't get enough of this place!
Theres not much to say about Marrakesh that hasn't been said. It's not a meal, it's an experience.
They're very accomodating to vegetarian/vegan diners, which I thought was great, and the food was superb. We got the five course meal when we went, and everyone loved it. The lentil soup was outstanding, the carrot/eggplant dip (I forget the name) was really good, the b'stilla was so-so. I got vegetarian b'stilla while the boys got the regular chicken, and they liked mine more. The main courses were AWESOME. I got the vegetarian couscous, and it was mind-blowing. My husband got some sort of chicken leg.. thing.. that he loved. Our friends got the chicken couscous and the lamb, and they both liked theirs too. The dessert, a diced apple dish, was refreshing and the perfect way to end the meal.
And the rose water they washed our hands in lingered for hours, mmm.
Overall, it was a wonderful meal, a wonderful experience, and we'll definitely be back.
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No Knife, No Fork... No Problem. You know that feeling you get when food is so good you just want to pick it up and shove it into your mouth in hand fulls at a time? Yeah it's almost a requirement here. No worries kiddos there are napkins. It's all part of the experience of authenticity you get with a real Moroccan flair.
From the moment you enter the tapestry covered room that makes you feel like you stepped into an exotic tent, you know this is going to be more then your average dinner out.
Your food comes in courses so take your time to relax and enjoy.
If your lucky your reservations will include the time where belly dancers shimmy their glittery outfits across the room. One suggestion is for the ladies ... don't wear a short skirt. You'll be sitting on low level couches that stretch around the room... we don't want to see it if you know what I mean.
This place is great and its ok to ask questions... everyone had to go through it once before you know what your doing... but like anything else that is this much fun... you'll do it again!
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This place is great for a group of people. From the moment you enter, you are transported to a tent in Morocco that's decorated with rugs and accompanied by belly dancers. All that was missing was a hukah.
The food itself was delicious. There was one dish, the B'stilla Royale (sp?) that was amazing. it was phyllo dough with a mix of chicken and raisins, or tofu if you are a vegetarian, and spices covered in powdered sugar. I could have eaten the entire thing myself. I also had a couscous dish, which was fine, but not amazing.
I also enjoyed the experience of eating the salad with bread as my utensils. I have not had ethiopian food, so it was a new experience for me.
The best part was that when the check came, it was so easy to split because it was a price fixed menu.
Went here for a after work gathering, great Moroccan food, seats are close together and you could end up sitting on the floor. Good ethnic experience for anybody who has not had North African cuisine. Eating with hands is what's the norm but a bit too messy/strange for me. This place is a fun experience though, cool belly dancers.
Don't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express?
I really loved the food here....and despite the impression given that you MUST eat with your hands, they're really quite open to giving you utensils if you insist upon them! (I know - I saw a lady eating her soup with a spoon while I was slurping mine directly from the bowl).
I admit I enjoy having someone pour hot water over my hands between courses, and the Moroccan tradition of combining salty and sweet flavors is something that I was surprised to find myself loving as I dug into chicken and apricots.
The tables for two were one awkward thing. While one person sits up high on a padded bench with pillows behind their backs, the other person sits on a cushion on the floor that places them in a rather submissive position. You could see when men came in with their dates they were averse to sitting in the ''submissive position'' (OK - maybe this isn't the place for a feminist rant - I'm guessing those guys really just thought those cushions looked uncomfortable, and you know what? The women thought they looked uncomfortable too! NO ONE wanted to sit on them). So, the effect of this lopsided seating arrangement is that nearly everyone at a table for two would sit beside their companion rather than across from them and in this way the benches became very crowded and you ended up being as close to the stranger beside you as you were to your friend. But if you're into that kind of thing - great!
I didn't catch the belly dancing show, but that's OK, I've seen them before. And honestly, one time when I ate at a different moroccan restaurant that offered belly dancing with your dinner, I almost choked on my chicken when the loud music came on suddenly, and the ambience created seemed so discordant that for the rest of my meal I thought I was in a Lynch film. At least the chicken didn't start moving on the plate and bleeding....wait! This isn't the place for Eraserhead flashbacks.
Go to this restaurant. Eat. Eat with your hands. Eat with a fork. Wipe your hands on a towel. Spill food on yourself. Enjoy the hot water and rose water. Don't be surprised when the music comes on, or at least bring a friend who knows the heimlich if you're easily startled.
4 stars. Yep!
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My friend, who came to visit me from Alaska, wanted to go to a 'Moroccan restaurant where you sit on the floor and eat with your hands and there are belly dancers.' Guess who ended up sitting on the floor? ME. Not fair. But it's okay. On to the review (oh, and there were no belly dancers, either, and it was a Friday night).
The food was good, overall. I got the lemon and olive chicken, and my friend got the honey and prune chicken. The chicken was really good. I hate using the word 'moist' but this chicken was hella moist. One common problem I find with chicken is that it can get dry, like halfway through a mouthful it's like you're eating cotton. Not so with this chicken. My leftovers were still awesome a few days later, too. My friend's honey and prune chicken was really, really sweet - and tasted more like cinnamon and sugar than honey and prune. She likened it to Thanksgiving yams with cinnamon, etc, on top, and I agree.
I have one complaint. I asked for another Coke, and not only did our server forget about it until my friend reminded her, she brought it so late that I only drank, like, a third of it - which wouldn't be a big deal if refills were free, but no, much to my surprise, I was charged again. Bogus. I fucking HATE it when restaurants pull that shit on fountain beverages. Fountain sodas costs CENTS for the restaurant. It's, like, an even bigger racket than Ticketmaster (which can fuck itself on the Radiohead front, I say). I'm pretty sure it was a fountain soda, too, because I can usually tell the difference between canned and fountain (I'm really kind of a soda connoisseur, if there is such a thing. But NOT a sodaholic, I just don't drink coffee or tea so it's how I get my caffeine).
And also, as others have said, the tables are really close together. I thought the B'stille was pretty good but I didn't find it 'SO DELICIOUS' or as Earth shattering as others did.
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I fell in love with Morrocan food a loooooong time ago, at Mamounia on Capital Hill. While I have not yet met a Morroccan restaurant I didn't like, none have ever been as amazing as that. I guess I should just go to Mamounia, but it always seems like a good idea to try new places, especially when they are so close to home, and Marrakesh certainly is close to my home.
The food at Marrakesh was good, and I always expect to pay around $100 for a five course meal for two (which is right around what this one cost), but honestly, I didn't love it so much that I've felt a burning desire to go back in the few months it's been since we went.
And while I don't mind the belly dancing, I don't love it, and I really am not into being asked to participate. If I wanted to dance, I'd take a class, but I wanted to eat dinner and drink wine.
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Yummy. I love this place. Just entering the restaurant you feel like eating Moroccan. You sit on over stuffed cushions, there are carpets on the walls and if you go at the right time there is a belly dancer / performer.
I have had food off the menu and the lamb offered if you have at least 8 or 10 people. I prefer the second but it is expensive, for that meal which is incredibly deluxe you're paying $30 per person but it's worth it bc it has so many courses including apps and dessert.
I lost my Moroccan food virginity to Marrakesh.
Oh yes, during my last visit to Seattle for work, I was lured in to Marrakesh by a friend who thought I might enjoy myself. To be honest, I have flirted with Morrocan food at Aziza and a couple other places - but to me, to me, Marrekesh was a different experience. I'm sure it is extremely "white-washed," this was more of the real deal.
If you want to try Morrocan food in a pleasant, clean and yummy environment, try Marrakesh. I am hesistant to give it 4 + stars but it really is a 3.5+. Our dishes, eggplant lamb and braised rabbit were quite delicious and the appetizers were a treat (more so because I love variety and can never wait until the main dishes come out).
Overall, a good spot, fun environment with the belly dancer and Morrocan dining practices (washing hands at the table) and eating with your hands. Make it over if you want good food and appreciate shoving it into your mouth with your bare hands (while sitting cross legged on the ground) - I sure do.
Thank you, Marrakesh, for making my 1st time, so memorable. :)
I really want to give this place a 4 stars, but I can't.
I went here last night with my family and some friends. The inside looks great! I love the pillows on the floor and the entire design.. Think of it as a insta-teleport to a scene out of Aladdin.
We did the Royal Feast, which I definitely would recommend with any group, you get to try everything and don't worry about leaving hungry. The B'stille was SO DELICIOUS. I see that other yelpers have been raving about it too but seriously, SO GOOD. I had to tell myself to stop and let everyone else eat it too, it was so good. (note: we had the vegetarian version)
Since my family is vegetarian, they were nice enough to split the main entrees as half vegetarian and half meat. But I have to say, I was very disappointed with the vegetarian options. It seemed like we just got a variety of steamed veggies on rice and this unimpressive yogurt concoction wrapped in eggplant (personal opinon? YUCK). Since I didn't really enjoy any of the main entrees myself, I left hungry.
So to summarize, go for the experience. I wouldn't recommend bringing any vegetarians here for the feast though, its way too pricey for really bland dishes. Just be sure and order the B'stille no matter what!
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First time I came here was because someone organized something for us to try out Mechoui, which is a whole lamb cooked "in a spit over a charcoal fire". That meal was delicious, the lamb was tender and everyone had a good time. I came back a second time with friends who came from out of town and had the five-course dinner, which consisted of a soup/salad, b'stilla (pasty with egg and potatoes), entree, dessert and mint tea. I had the lamb brochette, which was OK but nothing to rave about. However, my friend had the lam m'rouzia and her entree was really good, as the lamb was tender and well-seasoned. Be prepared, though, as the entrees are big, so make sure you come hungry. The b'stilla has to be my favorite, the pastry is so flaky and crunchy, and the egg and potatoes filling was sweet and savory all at the same time. The decor was nice, too, although the place looks super shady from the outside. Would come here again whenever I get more visitors .
First I have never had Moroccan food before. I was excited to try it and I liked the idea of belly dancing.
But Marrakesh was just ok.
I have to agree that the tables are too close together.
We got the deal where you pick your entree and share the salad and the pastry chicken thing and get lentil soup.
Those were the best part of our meal.
It was the entrees that were not so great. My husband did the best with the rabbit. The sauce was decent and the meat was tender. My friend and I fared worst. The olive chicken was tender but I really disliked the flavor. And well it was just chicken. No sides. The sauce wasn't enough to make me want to eat a lot of it.
My friend fared the worst with the beef kabobs sticking out of an eggplant. I forget what it was called. The beef was way over cooked and really dry.
The belly dancer was ok.
It was fun to try. But I wouldn't go back.
Between the lack of silverware and the belly dancing, Marrakesh is really more of an experience than it is a restaurant. And it's an experience that's best with a large group of close friends! I wouldn't even consider Marakkesh for less than 8 people, and I wouldn't consider going without a reservation either.
Be prepared: You will sit on the floor, eat stew and couscous with your hands, and wipe your face on a bath towel. If you can't handle that, this isn't he place for you!
The menu is a bit complicated to figure out. It's "family style" dining . . . everything will be shared. There are 5 courses (salad, soup, delicious chicken-pastry thing, entree, and dessert). You order an entree each, and then they bring you enough of the other courses for everyone to partake. There is also the "Royal Feast," which basically means they will pick a bunch of dishes and make sure to have enough food for you. I recommend avoiding the Royal Feast . . . you get more food (and you get to pick what you eat) for less money by ordering individually.
The final choice is to call ahead and get the Mechoui, where they basically roast an entire sheep for a large group. As awesome as that sounds, we did it for my birthday, and it was a bit to monotonous . . . it's best and cheapest to each order something off the menu.
The food here is generally decent but not great (certain dishes are excellent, many are a little bland or dry). But that's never detracted from my friends and I having a blast here.
Lest I neglect to mention it: The pastry-chicken covered in confectioner's sugar is orgasmic.
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One of the worst places I have eaten in Seattle. I went here with a couple of friends from Georgia (the one in eastern Europe). We were a bit dissappointed that there was no belly dancing even though it was a posted night for it. We ended up getting the multi course dinner special which is a lot of food for the cash. However, everything was just smothered in sugar. There was a sweet pastry with chicken which was particular disgusting. The only edible items were the couscous and the lamb dish (still a bit too sweet). If you are looking for some ethnic food, steer clear of this place and do you and your stomach a favor. The only plus about this place was all the jokes and laughs my friends and I had about it. We just couldn't believe how bad the food was.
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3.5 stars really. The food was good though seems really expensive at twenty bucks a head. It wasn't amazing or anything and I found myself saying yeah that tastes like lamb, oh and this is chicken, but nothing that was amazing where I was craving for more. The whole experience is what made it worthy of some extra stars. The atmosphere is cozy, it is fun to eat with your hands and belly dancer is a great touch. All the pomp and circumstance is fun but don't see myself returning unless I have some friend that is interested is seeing it.
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We went to this restaurant to help celebrate a friends birthday. Ended up getting the Royal feast, which includes the special of the day. It ended up being a 6 course feast I believe. They bring out these water containers where everyone washes their hands, then bring out the first course, which was a 'salad', but basically it was bread and a salsa type mixture, which was really good.
The 2nd course was the Bastilla I think, Ground chicken stuffed in a pastry that had powdered sugar. This was also good.
The 3rd course was a lentil bean soup, it was just right.
Then came out the meats, Many dishes with dates,almonds, chickpeas, cous cous, Chicken, Lamb, Hare, and more chicken. All very good, that just fell off the bone very easy.
Ended the meal with desert which was a yogurt dish with fruit, and then Mint tea.
All through the night, there was entertainment by belly dancers, and she ended up sticking the sword on my head.
A fun night and great food
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We went on a Thursday at 8pm and walked in just as the belly dancer was finishing up so we never got to see a full show. Their seating is a little weird, you are either on a pilow on the floor or on a bench against the wall but share the same table so if you are on the bench, you are crouching over. You eat with your hands so they pour water over a big metal bowl to wash your hands so if you are seated on the floor, prepare for some spashage. The food was excellent though. We had the catch of the day and the marakesh lamb kabobs. The price was a GREAT deal since you get a 5-course meal. Eating the cucumber/tomato salad and puree eggplant with your fingers is a little impossible though. There was also only 1 server which I thought was weird. The mint tea and dessert were very tasty and a good end to the meal.
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I really like this place. I think it's a cute little restaurant. I love the food! And it's cheap! My favorite is that sweet pastry with the chicken. It sounded weird at first, but it was good. I could eat that stuff all day. I really like the lamb with the honey and raisins, can't remember what it was called. The skewered lamb was ok. It was kind of dry when I had it. I won't be ordering that one again. The first time I went, I got to see the belly dancer. It was pretty cool. I didn't have any bills to slip her, but plenty of the people in my group did. I thought it was a fun experience. Great place for a date!
Sit on the floor if you have a choice. It's more comfortable and you're closer to the food!
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Sometimes I really miss eating here, and get their awesome BASTILLA, it's the ground chicken and mushroom stuffed in a powdered sugared pastry. DELICIOUS. I would recommend get the package where you can try almost everything.
The amount of food is A LOT- Come in a group - it's more fun that way.
Opening the door you step into a tented room, and suddenly you can't believe you are in Belltown. A hearty greeting and a wave of the hand as you are settled into your table. Selecting your meal, ($17 for 5 courses or ala carte) You relax against your cushion on the ground, or lounge on your bench .
Your waiter comes by with a urn and warm water and washes your hands. Then the first course, a lentil soup.
The soup is softly spicy and warms you up, next comes a grated carrot salad. This you eat with chunks of bread awkwardly scraping up the carrot pieces.
The appetizer is a sweet chicken pastry, called a bastila, It's traditional and comes with a nice wack of powdered sugar on top. It's not my favorite but its part of the experience. (and complaining about it is like complaining about getting pickles on your burger at a traditional burger joint. It's part of the dish, if you don't like it request they leave it off)
Your main dish is up to you, I always choose the lamb roasted and served on skewers stuck into the butt of an eggplant.
Dessert is mint tea and a fruit salad. Nothing to complex just enough to sate you at the end of your meal.
What I like?
The roast lamb
The affordability
The atmosphere.
What I dislike
The seating. usually you're crammed against the next table and the neither the benches nor the cushions are comfortable to sit on for long.
The service is rushed at times.
I wish their menu was more flexible or that they changed it seasonally.
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As others have said, go to Marrkesh with your friends, preferably alot of them. Then order the Royal Feast dinner which starts with bread and a delicious salad of cucumbers, tomatoes and some kind of a spread. Next comes a lentil soup, very tasty. Then you get the much reviewed B'stille which is a flaky pastry covered with powdered sugar and stuffed with ground chicken and almonds, this is always a group favorite. Then they bring you many dinner entrees, including my favorite the apricot chicken, lamb, beef and chicken kebabs, couscous, chicken with prunes..the food is always hot and delicious. I find sometimes they will give us forks and other times they refuse, so expect nothing. You will be entertained with the belly dancer and the generally comedic waitstaff. This place is really fun and the food is very good, not a place you would probably frequent. More of an experience restaurant. The atmosphere is great sitting on pillows and the curtained off ceilings. They could spend a little money and clean the place up a little, a little paint and a bathroom that didn't smell like mildew, they are certainly making alot of money there. And there is usually only one very busy waiter, so they are definitely making a hefty profit.
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Marrakesh is, at best, mediocre. The atmosphere is nice and the waitress was sweet, but the food was thoroughly disappointing, especially after having eaten at Mamounia.
The lamb was good, but the chicken and vegetarian options were utterly bland and boring. The waitress asked us if we didn't like it because it was "too different." I frankly fail to see how food so bland and utterly without flavor could be considered "too different." The couscous was watery and the vegetables tasted like they had either been boiling for a week or came straight out of a can.
To top it off, you should expect to pay about $19 a plate which, given the bland taste and canned vegetables, is downright ludicrous. For a few dollars more a plate I could hop across the street to Restaurant Zoe for a meal that can only be described as causing foodgasms and service so impeccable it nearly brings a tear to my eye.
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The moment you step into this place you are transported into lavishly appointed tent in North Africa. The lighting is quite dim and adds to the cool ambience that is Marrakesh. One can easily imagine that this place could be featured in a James Bond film. It made me think of From Russia with Love. Though the movie takes place in Istanbul, its influences are basically the same.
Anyway, Marrakesh is the total food experience. It's a great value with entertainment thrown in via belly dancing. Dinner here runs $17.50 for a five course meal. Four of the five items are fixed and you choose the main course. It starts off with a traditional lentil soup, Marrakesh Salad, the B'stilla Royale, main course, dessert and mint tea to finish it all off. I went with the lamb and fried eggplant which was very good. That lamb was so tender and basically fell off the bone. Though eating utensils are available upon request, don't bother and just eat with your hands. It just adds to the dining experience!
Make sure you make reservations because this place is super busy.
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3.5 if I could. I love eating with my hands. God gave us hands before cutlery right? The food was good and everything from the atmosphere to the textiles was on point. We got a table for 7 right away, despite the fact it was super crowded. The belly dancer added a nice touch to the whole experience.
Why not 4 stars then you might ask... The service was slow and then when they did bring stuff they took the plates away before we were even done with the course. They maaaayybe filled up our water glasses twice the entire 3 hours we were there. They were midget size glasses to boot. It was super hot and stuffy. Maybe its because they were busy but thats still no excuse.
I would probably go back just to give it another try.
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It's hard to give this place a decent review since it's been over a year since I ate there, but I have never felt the need to go back. File that where/however you want.
I really feel like giving this place 3.5 stars, but I'll round up to be generous. I am Middle Eastern so the whole ambiance for me was a bit overdone. I don't mind sitting around the round tables, it just sucks in a dress.
I was taken here over a year ago for a first date and I should have known since he was Moroccan. The wine selection is pretty sad, but the dinner five course meal can't be beat. I thought the B'stilla was a bit too sweet and my lamb dish was more chewy, than fall off the bone.
This doesn't mean I didn't have a lovely time and because the ex got in good with the manager we definitely got better treatment.
I think this place would be even better in a big group that is up for a long night of eating and drinking and dancing aside from the sad belly dancing.
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This place has given me one of the most unique experiences ever!
The restaurant is lavishly decorated and the waiters are all very attentive and helpful. The ability to watch belly dancing while you eat is really wonderful as well!
I like the fact that you eat with your hands at this restaurant. It adds a new level to the experience - one that most places do not have! It makes it a lot of fun to eat the food, which already tastes amazing!
The B'stilla Royale is definitely my favorite dish. The combination of sweet and salty is amazing. I would go there just to eat that! The Apricot Chicken, Salad Marrakesh, and Lamb w/ Couscous are also delicious choices!
I would certainly recommend this place! I can't wait to go back! :)
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I've only given my opinions on a handful of restaurants on this yelp guy. And they're pretty much only the ones that have left a strong impression- good or bad. And I can't believe that I forgot Marrakesh. I've gone their once, I've planned on going there three times. You must make a reservation... and don't try this 'call 20 minutes beforehand' bull-cocky. It won't work. And don't try this 'call a day beforehand' horsie dung. That also won't work. You need to give it at least two days. Unless you get lucky or like to run batches for the host.
This place is fun, delicious and cheap.
It's not like a 'ahh... I'm hungry, let's go to marrakesh" type place- I mean you could. If you got insanely lucky with the reservations. It's nice, but it's really special- it's like a transporter to a parallel universe where everything is just different. And that makes it cool.
I like to bring people who come to visit to Marrakesh. I've only been successful once. The first time I went there. The other times I waited (without the guarantee of an eventual table) until I couldn't wait no more.
Everyone wrote about how it's cool and why you need to go there at least once (and probably with a group). I'm here to tell you that they are absolutely right. The food and drink is tasty. The bill is small. And the belly dancers deliver the sexy-time.
Overall Check+
Now make your reservations
R
OH one more thing- things aren't really that spicy. If you want to bring on the heat, you need to ask. and make sure everyone's okay with it because it's all communal dining. i like it when they pour water on your hands. It makes you feel like royalty.
OH! Finish the night with a trip over to the hookah bar on 1st and Cherry. mm mm good.
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One of my favorite spot in Seattle. From the moment you walk in the restaurant, it feels like you are in a beautiful, exotic land. The restaurant is draped with Moroccan style tapestry throughout. Guests either sits on the sofa or on a cushion on the floor. While you eat with your fingers, you also are entertained with performances of belly dancing. Always great fun! (Check before you go though. The belly dancing is only performed in certain times on certain days of the week.) Everytime I need to entertain out-of-town guests, I take them there.
Food is also always good and consistent. I especially love the cinnemon and powder sugar coated pastry that it serves as an appetizer. I believe it is called the B'stilla Royale, and it always comes with the 5 Course Dinner or the Royal Feast Dinner. I also love the Lamb with Eggplant. The lamb is done just right so it is perfectly tender and succulent.
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I love this as a great date spot and a great girls' night out, but mostly for the ambiance. Moroccan food traditionally likes to combine sweet and savory tastes, which I personally don't like very much. That said, I loved the Salads Marrakesh, though I wish the bread were more like a pita-style bread so that it would be easier to scoop up food with it. This bread has more of a cornbread texture to it. My sweet-savory-combination-loving friends love the B'stilla Royale (adequately described here by other reviewers,) but I was happiest nibbling on just the sweetly sugared top layer of pastry. I went against the flow of most of our group, who ordered the Royale Feast, because I knew I wouldn't care for most of the dishes and was anxious to try the Brochette Marrakesh (not available with the Royale Feast.) It was perfectly seasoned and wonderful the first time I had it, but bland and hardly seasoned at all when I took my husband back. His lamb with eggplant was also bland on that visit, which is a shame, because now he's not in a hurry to go back. The dessert varies from day to day. We had a wonderful basboosa (a syrupy semolina cake ... better than it sounds!) when I went with the group, but a far less exciting apple and raisin combination when I went with my husband. Some belly-dancers are better than others, of course, so it's a matter of luck whether you get a great one or not.
Know before you go:
Do call ahead for reservations, since some seating times fill up more quickly than others.
You may be sorry if you wear dark colors (the powdered sugar makes a mess, regardless of the towel they provide,) or a short skirt (getting up and down from the low seats gracefully is hard enough without having to try to preserve your modesty at the same time!)
Though they'll provide silverware upon request, try to prepare yourself to eat with your hands for the full experience. Yes, rice can be tricky, but if you use your fingers as a spoon and your thumb to push it into your mouth, it can be done, though granted, it's not very ladylike in our culture.
Some servers pour the tea at the end of the meal low, and some pour high (from a couple of feet above the glass.) It does get splashy if they do that, so you may want to hide behind your towel, especially if you're wearing light colored clothes to avoid the powdered sugar mess!
Do make use of the protective towel, since the plates are shared and the food has to travel a bit from the plate to your mouth. It's nearly impossible to avoid a few drips and spills.
Perhaps the best prepared lamb I've had in Seattle. Tender, moist, delightfully seasoned. . . I'm usually not into sweet dishes, but the honey cinnamon and rasin stewed lamb was amazing. The house wine had a strange flavor, if anyone can place it let me know. They have live bellydancing during dinner, it's alright. The star here is the food. Just make sure you can stop home afterward to change clothes before going out, we smelled like couscous Marrakesh all night long. And beware of floor cushion-induced appendage numbness. Tall people: call dibs on the bench seats!
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I was once asked by a friend how I've managed to create so many reviews, and the answer is simple:
- eat out a lot
- don't have any common sense when it comes to budgetary issues
- don't type much so it looks like you're being effortlessly distant yet useful:
I liked Marrakesh. They handled a large crowd very very well, and the yummy food kept coming. I even got to take home the substantial quantity that landed in my lap!
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I take all my out of town guests here, it's such a hit!
I highly recommend doing the King's Feast where you have at least 4 people and you get more food than anyone could dream of eating...and it's like $20/person.
All the food is awesome, I can't even begin to give it enough praise.
They have belly dancers, authentic costumes, floor and bench seating...it's all very cool. Great overall experience!
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Eh.
Went here with my girlfriend and her mom. The food is actually relatively good. I'm actually a pretty big fan of the salad and the soup, and the sweet chicken thing with almonds and powdered sugar. The main courses are alright, actually a little bland after the barrage of flavors the previous courses give you.
It gets a 3 for a few reasons. It always seems understaffed, even on busy nights. On non-busy nights expect one person to be the entire wait staff and an uncounted amount of people making food in the back (only one thing is actually made-to-order, the rest is part of the course anyways).
They're also somewhat strict about what tables they sit you at. 3 people do not fit at the "3 people seats." They're very cramped, and when asking to sit at a large table we are denied because that only slightly larger table is actually for 6+. I understand they want to have the ability to seat large groups in the case they come in, but on a quiet Tuesday evening, give people the benefit of the doubt.
Eating with your hands is fine. Sitting on the floor is fine (although I'm no good at it). Alcohol list is sparse, as it has some Morrocan red table wine which is pretty serviceable but not interesting, to Morrocon beer (which tastes like most other "world lagers" in that it's light with a slight hint of honey on the palette... you can tell I'm a beer snob).
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Walking into Marrakesh felt like I was stepping off the train in Morocco and into our hotel back in Fez. It was a great surprise date for my wife that brought back good memories.
Sit on the floor, relax on the pillows, have your hands washed, feel like a king. Don't forget about the belly dancers. If you are cooperative they might even show you some moves.
The five course dinner is a great deal considering all the food you get. Quality of everything is great, but the lentil soup and lamb with honey really stand out.
You will only be disappointed when you leave and are shocked to be reminded that you aren't actually in Morocco.
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Visited twice. The first on my birthday, the second with a friends family. The food is great and eating with your hands makes it even better. Just make sure you trust in the cleanliness of the people sitting across from you as fingers and nails dig into the meat. Mmm.
The belly dancer was interesting to say the least. Not exactly what I had imagined the first time I went.
So-so rating for the disturbing scene I witnessed the second time I visited. As our group was finishing up dinner, I watched in horror as the table opposite of ours was cleaned. Naturally, you would expect the waiter to clean the table with a clean rag. Unfortunately he did not. Not only did he grab the white towel that the previous patron(s) had used for themselves - as does everyone else eating at the restaurant... the waiter proceeded to pour water from the half filled cup [on the table] into the towel and proceeded to continue wiping the table!
Not sure if I'll make my way back to this establishment. Am I wrong to be disturbed by what we saw?
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