Marlaina's Mediterranean Kitchen

First time here and it did not disappoint. The food was amazing, portions were generous, and the pricing felt very reasonable for what you get. We didn’t have a reservation but got lucky with a walk-in seat, I’d definitely recommend reserving ahead of time. The space is cozy, the staff is friendly, and even the surrounding diners were easy to chat with if you’re in the mood.

Marlaina’s I don't live nearby and happened to be in Burien for an airport pickup and decided to visit this place for dinner. I did plan it in advance but didn't get to read the reviews or check out their menu. A family owned restaurant which is evident from the service we received (5 stars). We arrived around 7:45 PM on a Sunday and got a table immediately. Since we were hungry, we decided to jump directly to the entrees and didn't order any appetizers. Started off with a flavorful Persian tea and the Gyro Plate (the portion was enormous) - good and definitely recommended Mesopotamian Lamb & Beef - Never heard about this and wanted to give it a try. Best decision! The slow cooked just melted in my mouth and just as per my liking where more meat, veggies than the rice. Marlaina's Baklava - as per my liking, not that too sweet Baklava which is usually available in chains. It's such a shame that I don't live nearby, but next time when I am around Burien, this is my first choice. Note: Credit card payment option has an additional charge on your total bill.

We found this gem in this town when we were here. Great Mediterranean food and everything is freshly made. We really enjoyed our dinner. The owner Eileen is very friendly and explained how they prepared their food. Definitely will come back to try other dishes again!

The large mezze platter is plenty for two — maybe even too much. Good assortment if you're not sure what to order. The Mesopotamian lamb and beef were very tasty, extremely tender. Friendly service.

Amazing meal at Marlaina's, service was fast, food was fresh and flavorful. The Mesopotamian Lamb & Beef melted in my mouth. Great ambiance, quiet and romantic without being pretentious! Loved it!!

We dined in on a busy Friday night with no reservation made but got seated pretty much right away! Yay! However, we then patiently waited for a good 20-25 mins with no one coming to our table (the nice lady server later explained that it was a uniquely tough night for them with technical difficulties). We were super excited to try Gyro plate! “Sorry we’re all out of Gyro..” what?!? At 7:30pm at a Greek restaurant?!? So we tried Adana Kebab and Grilled Lamb Chops. The beef/lamb kebab was quite dry, and the cabbage salad was really tangy/herby. We’d much rather just have a simple greek salad as a side. 5/10. Luckily the grilled lamb chops were delicious. The meat does not taste gamey at all. This dish I’d actually order again. 9/10 Tzatziki sauce with homemade bread was delicious 10/10 The server took the wine off our bill as a kind gesture to make up for all the hiccups. Though it was nice of her, I still think the lack of staff and no meat to dry meat food issue definitely made our dining experience less than perfect. There’s not a lot of excellent Greek restaurants in Seattle greater area, so I hope they take our feedback to heart and improve their dishes and staffing situation. Update: I actually forgot a very valuable item on the table when we left the restaurant. They actually kept it safe for me, and when we returned we were able to retrieve my item. Very grateful to our lady! I added one star to my review thanks to the staff caring about keeping left behind items safe! And a very honest response to my review. THANK YOU! 🙏🏼

The food and atmosphere are incredible and the workers are really kind and will always give you a great service. They make the best baba ganoush and baklava. I ordered the gyro plate, it was so good that it outperforms almost everything I've ever eaten. My dad ordered the lamb and beef and loved it! My mom ordered the lamb skewers and loved it too!!! We will be back!

Everything from their welcoming warmth as we walked in, to their exceptional service, to the phenomenal food was perfect. This was a friend's birthday dinner. There were four of us -- one visiting for the first time. Three vegetarians in our group, and one with food sensitivities to wheat and allium (garlic, onions, etc.). We shared a Mezze Platter and an extra side of Baba Ganoush, followed by their Vegetarian and Vegan dinners (so great that they provide both on the same plate for each of us), and their Grilled Salmon. For dessert we shared their homemade Marlaina's Baklava. From start to finish everything was absolutely delicious, and the service impeccable. We called ahead to make same-day reservation for a quieter table next to a wall so we'd be able to hear each other, as some of us wear hearing aids. When we arrived we were immediately greeted and even given a choice of tables (every table was taken by the time we left). Amazingly they easily kept up with replacing our multiple water pitchers without our even needing to ask. The food arrived quickly and everything was delicious. Our friend with food sensitivities was absolutely fine, a huge bonus even after eating the baba ganoush. All of us are looking forward to coming back -- very soon!

Marlaina's I don't live nearby and happened to be in Burien for an airport pickup and decided to visit this place for dinner. I did plan it in advance but didn't get to read the reviews or check out their menu. A family owned restaurant which is evident from the service we received (5 stars). We arrived around 7:45 PM on a Sunday and got a table immediately. Since we were hungry, we decided to jump directly to the entrees and didn't order any appetizers. Started off with a flavorful Persian tea and the Gyro Plate (the portion was enormous) - good and definitely recommended. Mesopotamian Lamb & Beef - Never heard about this and wanted to give it a try. Best decision! The slow cooked just melted in my mouth and just as per my liking with more meat, veggies than the rice. Marlaina's Baklava - as per my liking, not that too sweet Baklava which is usually available in chains. It's such a shame that I don't live nearby, but next time when I am around Burien, this is my first choice. Note: Credit card payment option has an additional charge on your total bill.

Really delicious Mediterranean food. The mezzo platter is delicious, the prices reasonable.

The food was delish: tsuzki, hummus, Mediterranean salad, chickpea curry stew, Mesopotamian beef and lamb stew, Mesopotamian chicken stew, and basmati rice. And of course, baklavas! There was 12 of us and we sat in the back room. It was a joyous occasion! The owners were very cordial and accommodating.

Another wonderful meal! The service by Susan was amazing and the food was outstanding. One of my favorite Burien restaurants!!!

5/25/2025 5:45pm dinner with my cuzn Kat. I found this gem on a Yelp recommendation and thought we'd give it a try. All I can say is OMG, every bite was amazingly tasty, delicious, and flavorful. We took pleasure in our culinary experience and definitely recommend this place 100% to anyone. ***FOOD: We ordered: (appetizers)beet salad, Tzatziki (Greek yogurt), pita bread (Entrées)lamb kabobs, lamb pirzola (Drinks) fresh ginger, orange and mint pot of tea, & Mideastern Coffee The exquisite, mouth-watering flavors of these Mediterranean dishes were genuinely authentic and thoroughly enjoyable. ***SERVICE: We had the pleasure of speaking with the owner, who shared a portion of his restaurant's history with us. The staff were very attentive and helpful. ***AMBIANCE: Mideastern-style decorations. Family-friendly environment with a classic, timeless feel. Surrounded by many other varieties of food eateries around. Located right accross from the Burien Library. Including a dinning area in the front. Midsize indoor dining room. Street parking Bathroom needs a little upgrade though. We'll certainly will be coming back to sample the other dishes.

Fantastic food and even better service. Really can't go wrong with anything on the menu and the wine paired nicely.

I have been coming to this lovely establishment for a couple years now, and it is one gem of a place! The servers are great! The food is impeccable, plates are very generous, and the owner is one site most nights. Great place to go to and the vibes are wonderful!

The staff is amazing and I love that, over the years, it's the same people working here each time. I love the "family" vibes of this restaurant! It's imperfect and authentic and just the local place I love to support. We get the large mezze platter each time and mix it up between the Chicken Pirzola & Mesopotamian Lamb and Beef. Everything, including their yogurt, hummus, pita bread, and baklava are made in house. HOMEMADE! It's so good! My partner and I came here for our first date night after our baby was born, when we bought our first house together, and when they proposed. Almost every time we come here, the chef will see our son and send an animal of some kind shaped out of oranges or cucumber. They seriously are so wonderful. We like to visit on Tuesdays or throughout the weekdays, unless it's a weekend. Call for reservations for better seats and there's not a waiting area. They do have a bigger space in the back. Can't recommend this place enough!

3d visit was just as good as the 1st 2. We came in about 5:30PM on a Thursday. It was not crowded and we were seated right away. The small Meza platter was great and we should have taken our conclusions from the 1st 2 visits and just split one dinner but we ordered the gyro platter and the lamb kababs. The pieces of lamb were perfectly cooked rare and very tender. My wife and I each ate one skewer with 3 generous pieces of meat. Then we shared the huge portion of shawarma meat on her plate. Each of us had lots of rice and salad. We took home enough for sandwiches tomorrow. Service was friendly, professional and attentive. 152nd street is fulled with good local restaurants and this is one of the best. We could not finish our $7 beers but we made room for the baclava.

We stopped by Marlaina's while in town for work, and this spot in the downtown area is super cute with lots of dining options around and easy parking nearby. We had a party of six, and while most of their seating looked suited for smaller groups, the staff was very accommodating, pushing tables together for us. We ordered the mezze platter to share, and everyone especially loved the baba ganoush. The waiter brought us extra pita without us even asking. Each of us ordered our own entrée, and wow, the portion sizes were huge! We were all wishing we could take leftovers back, but traveling for business makes that tricky. If we return, we'd definitely share an entrée instead. The plates came with a Mediterranean salad, and I was a little surprised to see spinach in it, but that's on me for not reading the menu more closely. I liked the touch of a roast pepper. I wish the pita wasn't cut into strips and placed under all the meat, as it made it a little soggy. But otherwise, the food was flavorful and satisfying.

things i didn't know: 152nd in burien is a dinner destination and parking spots are at a premium. marlaina's is so popular that when we walked in hoping for a table, the restaurant was already full and we were asked if we'd made a reservation. things i now moving forward: marlaina's serves damn good food! hefty portions and tasty combinations and we didn't even order an entree. between the bread, the large mezze platter and the two salads we got, we both went home with leftovers and i was stuffed because i couldn't stop myself from mopping up the plethora of flavors and textures on the plates. the baklava was also good and just the right amount for two people to share. our server was attentive and friendly and did the best he could since we were seated in a rear area past the kitchen and main part of the restaurant (it seems like that is reserved for large groups and maybe overflow patrons on nights when the other tables are occupied?) which doesn't have as nice or colorful an ambiance but it's the food we were after. i feel somewhat remiss to say i hadn't known about marlaina's until my friend suggested we go check it out. i'm in burien a lot and have tried many of the food establishments including the one right next door which i love so i'll own my own ignorance but now i just want to shout from the rooftops that you, too, should give marlaina's a try. i fell like i've been let in on a local secret i should've known about a long time ago.

I'm mad my friend didn't show me this spot earlier!!! For starters, we had the mezze platter. It came with dolmas (so good!! Perfect marriage of rice and spices!), tzatziki (so fresh! The mint...yum!!), baba ganoush (with a smokey hint), hummus (so fresh!!), tabouli (best ive had in a long time! It was not overwhelming with parsley... super enjoyable. So good we got orders to go!), and the piyaz (a chilled white bean salad with ginger root, onion, tomato, EVOO, and garlic...so good we got orders to go!). Entrees we had the mesopotamian lamb and beef (the stew was so comforting..like a hug. The lamb was so tender!), and the lamb chops (love the rosemary and garlic!) For dessert...freshhhhh baklava, freshest ive had. It had just been made. It was so perfect! It's not so heavy compared to the normal baklava with honey that Im used too. Looks like I have a new favorite Mediterranean spot to go to!!! The staff was great. The food was amazing.

I had the pleasure of trying this place this evening and I wanted to jump on and add my review to Marlaina's! Ambiance: Marlaina's is located in downtown Burien, where there is limited diagonal street parking. When you walk into Marlaina's you are greeted with Mediterranean decor, as if you are right in someone's kitchen. It is very home-styled and comforting. The kitchen is small and facing outward to the dining area, and you can see the chef working away at orders. Food: Marlaina's has a small menu, with lamb, beef and vegan options. There is also an extensive drink and appetizer menu that has the likes of baba ganoush and hummus with warm pita. Because of the wait, the kind waitress gave us hummus with pita on the house. The texture was thick and creamy, and just the right amount of seasoning to it. It was probably one of my favorite hummus I have had personally! The pita is more thicker than usual, but just as great if not better. I ordered the gyro plate which consisted of the grilled lamb and beef meat, basmati rice, spinach salad, pita bread and tsatziki sauce. I usually don't eat lamb, but there was nothing gamey about the meat! Everything was seasoned well, super fresh and so filling. The portions were huge on this platter! My mom had the vegan stew, which was also very flavorful. The eggplant was soft and tender, and the tomato based sauce complemented the veggies and rice as well. Everything was huge! We were super filled afterwards, but we definitely had room for baklava. They usually are served with two, but the waitress was so kind to let us have one extra since we were a party of three. It was my first time having it, and it was perfectly crispy and had the right amount of sweetness with the glaze. The almond spread was also very wonderful and complemented the delicate crust. Service: It was definitely busy on a Sunday night! There was only one waiter working for the entire dining area, so definitely be mindful of the wait! Everyone in the restaurant was super friendly and welcoming. The chef was also very wonderful and he was laughing when I devoured the bakalava! Overall, definitely will be back with more friends and family to enjoy this little slice of the Mediterranean in Burien. Please give this little family restaurant a try!

Extremely fresh, unpretentious, delicious food that's cooked with love. Honestly, it feels like a hug when you're eating here. I live very close to this place but hadn't tried it until the other day for a Yelp event. We got to meet Chef Musa and his son Ishmael. They were incredibly welcoming and kind. We tried so many wonderful dishes including: hummus, tzatziki, baba Ganoush (my favorite!!), pita, saffron rice, chicken stew, lamb stew, vegetarian stew, Mediterranean salad, and great wine selection. I will definitely be coming back and can't wait to bring and friends and family here too.

What can I say.... Everything was amazing. Wine was delicious. Appetizers were really yummy and I tried things I'd never had before and was delighted to know that I really liked them. Main dishes we tried a few and every one of them was amazing. The right spices. Tender meat... focaccia bread was sooo yummy! The food literally felt "Like Home". Good food that sticks with you. You can tell this is a point of pride in the owner who is now training his son to take over the business!!!! The restaurant was clean and decorated with (of course) a Mediterranean flair. This little restaurant has been in my Burien neighborhood for a while and I hadn't had a chance to go in but now I can't wait to come back!!!! Definitely highly recommend!!

Friendly service and excellent food. It's hard not to have the beef & lamb stew every time I go there, but the lamb shank is also hard to resist. Their baklava is yummy too.

Great little place with Amazing food! Service was top notch and food tasted like it was all made from scratch with family recipes. Definitely going back.

Wow, what an amazing meal! We started by being welcomed and sat at a nice table shortly after opening. Drink offerings were good but we decided on just water as we wanted to be able to taste the flavors of the food more. For an appetizer, we started with the "MEZZE PLATTER" which was small portions of several appetizers in a sampler form: Piyaz, Hummus, Tzatziki, Baba Ganoush, Dolma and Tabouli. The Hummas, Dolma and Baba Ganoush were amazing and went very well with the homemade bread. Next was our main course. The Lamb & Beef "Stew" for the lady and for myself, the Lamb Kebabs. The stew wasn't what you'd think of as a traditional stew but rather slow-cooked meats along with greens and rice, a little light sauce. Extremely tender and delicious. My kebabs was a typical skewer of lamb (two actually) along with rice and salad, though I opted for double rice and no salad. I've had kebabs many times from different locations around the US as well as in other countries (south of France, Malta etc...) and I think these might have been the BEST kebabs I've never had! They were seasoned perfectly, were just right as far as how cooked they were, and that char on them was incredible! To end the meal, we had baklava which, like the kebab, was probably the best baklava I've ever tasted. This *might* be because I often don't order baklava as I have been disappointed many times, but this was no disappointment, that's for sure! Incredible flavor. Good portion size too I think. A Turkish coffee ended our meal. The service we got was fantastic and we are now relaxing and digesting a big meal. Living right near this restaurant could be dangerous for us in the future! We will be back! :)

Excellent food and service. We had melt-in-your- mouth beef shank and it was cooked to perfection. Highly recommend.

Great traditional homemade Greek food. Great service looks like a Family owned and they really care about the food

Musa Firat provides exceptional service serving absolutely delicious cuisine with the comfort of a Mediterranean cafe..

We always love our experience at Marlaina's and have been many times--both the two of us and with friends visiting from out of town. The food is excellent. Every experience is one with which we received warm, generous service. We were unable to make it down to Burien with our friend visiting from NY, when I discovered we could do Delivery! The food was as delicious as if we were sitting there at one of Marlaina's tables, talking with Musa.

The food was great, the service was awesome, and the it was a quiet atmosphere since we came closer to the closing!

What a find. I happened to be in the area and specifically looked for Mediterranean food at the time, and stumbled upon this spot with a handful of reviews but reviewed highly. Gave it a shot, and was completely wowed by the food and service, and small shop homey vibe. The regulars and locals that come here are lucky this spot isn't as accessible for folks living in seattle/north seattle because I guarantee this place would be absolutely swamped if that were the case. Great portions, freshly made dishes, awesome service (privately run). Definitely get the hummus app, and take stuff to go if you have leftovers!

Dined here last week. Parking was easy. Service ok. Food was meh. Was disappointed and didn't take but a few bites.

Awesome friendly service! Amazing food!! Great portions, left so happy and full!!! Ambiance was super cute ! Must try gyro platter, delicious!!!

The portion sizes were large and the service was fast. We really enjoyed the quality of the food - specifically the gyro plate. The restaurant has a quaint and cozy atmosphere. The manager is an extremely kind woman and made our experience extraordinary. Would go again!

Wow, food is amazing and the price is unbelievable. Service is awesome as well. Cannot say enough good about this hidden gem. I will be back. Can't wait to try the whole menu. Well done

Waited 5 mins for a table. Waited 10 mins and left to see the next customer seated right away with a menu and water.

Picked up dinner and have to state an app with entree is a lot!Gyro plate with Baba Ghanoush included a great salad and a soft chewy loaf of bread.Proportions are a guess anytime but I guarantee you won't go hungry.

Owners were super friendly and welcoming. Food was excellent and plentiful the pita bread was fresh and excellent. We had the gyro platter and the special chicken. It has a long name I can't spell. It comes with salad, chicken, yogurt sauce on top of pita. The hummus appetizer was plentiful for sharing. Great gem in Burien

Tried the place on a whim and boy were we glad we did...outstanding, fresh, flavorful and a delight to some of the most discerning palettes. Restaurant is cute inside with some booths and tables...cozy with great music. Service is outstanding, attentive but not invasive. If you like Mediterranean food, give it a try! One of my favorites and we will definitely be back!

A cozy comfortable setting with warm and friendly service and utterly delicious food. We ordered the Lamb Shank and the Lamb Pirzola. Both were incredible. The Lamb Shank fell off the bone with a scrape of the fork. The Pirzola was spiced deliciously. Both plates had generous portions. A wonderful date night.

Oh no.. We went here last night for dinner and I assume they are training a new chef... but everything was very very salty and not the same. The appetizers were amazing as usual but I was expecting amazing entrees and that was disappointing to me. Sad to say I'm big on consistency of the restaurants I review so I have to update that in here. I ordered a ginger ale and the new waitress had poured it into a cup of ice. My eyes immediately drew to the cup and noticed a speck of black inside. A dead fruit fly just sitting in my ginger ale. My spouse told the waitress and she seemed awkward and confused.

It's a lovely restaurant, perfect to bring a date or friends/family! The lamb here is so juicy and tender it's my all-time-favorite dish! I've had the salmon and it's really good too, the portions are huge (I always ask for take-out boxes) it's worth every penny! Service is outstanding :)

Delicious food, absolutely loved the mezze here! Service was amazing as well - the owners are so lovely and it's wonderful seeing a multigenerational establishment.

We had a fabulous experience last night at this little gem! My boyfriend and I have been here about 3 times and it's almost always a 5 star experience. Our server was super personal and helpful with selecting wine and the food was absolutely AMAZING (thank you, Chefs!!). We will definitely return here soon.

Visited this delicious restaurant located close to our Airbnb. Stopped in for dinner, and had such an enjoyable experience! The staff is super friendly, and the food was incredible! Must try the pistachio baklava! The Mezza Platter was a great way to try a lot of yummy items!

Our family has been to Marlainas many times - it's a great neighborhood spot with delicious Kurdish food and super friendly service (owner has stopped by to check in almost every time). The chickpea stew is my favorite (sounds unassuming, but it's a flavor bomb!) and the meze platter is massive and perfect for a crowd. They also have a massive back room for parties.

I had heard of Marlaina's and happened to drive by their location. We were fortunate to have a sidewalk table open up when we arrived, but I would recommend a reservation to make sure one is waiting for you. Chef Musa started us with the Mezza platter, and everything was spot on. The charred flavor of the Baba Ganoush was perfect and the tzatziki and hummus was just as good. We shared the Chicken Pirzola. The chicken thigh's we cooked just right and the cinnamon notes of the seasoning were a pleasant surprise but not overwhelming. We were stuffed and got our baklava to go. Later that evening when we ate it, I wish we would have ordered more, it was that good. Great food, friendly service...you won't be disappointed at Marlaina's!

The lamb was great, but the sides weren't. Was expecting a potato like the pictures, but they came out with some kind of mashed up potatoes that weren't very good.

The nicest service. Good food. And all the flowers outside make you feel like you're having dinner in a friend's garden.

Loved. Loved. Loved. What a gem in downtown Burien. Super inviting and homey feel. Service was great. Food was better. My favorite dish was the Mesopotamian chicken. But truly everything we had was homemade and mouthwateringly delicious. The homemade pita with the mezze plate is a must! Can't wait to go back and try more.

Large portion, Great and fresh food - excellent service .... Like the good old days :) we'll be back . Get the hummus!

Looking for a delicious Mediterranean meal? Step into this charming little restaurant. We chose to start with the mezze platter and there is a special mention needed for their bread, which is fresh out of the oven. The entrees include flavor packed thick stews and delicious lamb! It was so good we didn't have a chance to take pictures of it. Great date spot but also family friendly. The restaurant has this warm, friendly ambience - and is so welcoming. The service is exceptional! We are fortunate to have been served by Elaine a few times - she was incredibly warm and always thoughtful in her suggestions. She goes above and beyond!

Such an amazing place. Came in and it felt like being with family. They brought my daughter a plate of food bc they thought she might be hungry before we even got a chance to look at the menu. So thoughtful! And man, everything we ordered was delicious! Definitely recommend! 10 out of 10!

Phenomenal food and overall experience, wonderful atmosphere, excellent service. The food was made with love! I'd give it more stars if I could.

Very nice atmosphere within the restaurant. The food and service were also top notch. I would definitely recommend Marlaina's Mediterranean Kitchen to friends and family!

Dined here last week after arriving on a flight into SeaTac. EXCELLENT choice! My wife (very picky) and daughter were both amazed. Service was extremely attentive and quick to offer a substitute when a small side sauce was not preferred by my wife. I had the Gyro platter, which was a whole lot of gyro meat - too much. My wife proclaimed her chicken dish was excellent and she always has some critique to offer, but not this night. Thank you Marlanina for a wonderful welcome to the PNW.