This laid-back Hawaiian gem serves up generous plate lunches and treats like spam musubi and guava cake, all while fostering a chill, family-friendly vibe—complete with weekend karaoke.
"The word “beloved” gets tossed around a lot, and with particularly reckless abandon in things like brunch listicles. But Kona Kitchen is one of a few Seattle establishments that’s truly earned the designation, with a following that’s been loyally returning for customizable loco moco, plate lunches, and breakfast comfort classics for over 20 years. It was a major blow to the community when husband and wife proprietors Liz and Robert Mar passed away from COVID in 2020, but their daughter and son-in-law (who, fun fact, starred in The Karate Kid Part II) have carried on the tradition of good food and warm service at this Maple Leaf institution." - Sophie Grossman, Eater Staff
"This casual Hawaiian restaurant with locations in Maple Leaf and Lynnwood serves an perfectly-executed mochiko chicken, served with rice and mac salad. The light rice-flour batter on this popular Hawaiian dish leaves the pieces of chicken super tender while imparting just a touch of crispiness. Beyond the mochiko chicken, Kona Kitchen also serves good renditions of Korean fried chicken, katsu chicken, and chicken strips." - Eater Staff, Jade Yamazaki Stewart
"This relaxed, all-day Maple Leaf diner is one sandy flip-flop away from being on a North Shore roadside. It’s an island memorabilia-covered place where you can slump into a bouncy booth and sip a $10 mai tai stiffer than a dress shirt. Among the classic Hawaiian stuff, there’s a dependable spam musubi and comforting gravy-drenched loco moco to customize with variables like fried rice vs. white rice or hamburger vs. portuguese sausage. But we’re even bigger fans of Kona Kitchen’s kalua pig and cabbage—it’s smoky, tender, and really good stuffed into a quesadilla, too. Keep it in mind if you’re in the market for a simple, satisfying group meal while fantasizing about the next trip to Oahu." - carlo mantuano, aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"This relaxed, all-day Maple Leaf diner is one sandy flip-flop away from being on a Hawaiian roadside. It’s an island memorabilia-covered place where you can slump into a bouncy booth and sip a $10 mai tai stiffer than a dress shirt. Among the classic Hawaiian stuff, there’s a dependable spam musubi and comforting gravy-drenched loco moco to customize with variables like fried rice vs. white rice or hamburger vs. portuguese sausage. But we’re even bigger fans of Kona Kitchen’s kalua pig and cabbage—it’s smoky, tender, and really good stuffed into a quesadilla, too. Keep it in mind if you’re in the market for a simple, satisfying group meal while fantasizing about the next trip to Oahu." - Aimee Rizzo
"This casual Hawaiian restaurant with locations in Maple Leaf and Lynnwood serves an perfectly-executed mochiko chicken, served with rice and mac salad. The light rice-flour batter on this popular Hawaiian dish leaves the pieces of chicken super tender while imparting just a touch of crispiness. Beyond the mochiko chicken, Kona Kitchen also serves good renditions of Korean fried chicken, katsu chicken, and chicken strips." - Eater Staff, Jade Yamazaki Stewart
