Kama’aina Grindz

We were lucky to get into this place on a Friday night. We walked in and got the last table, watching them have to turn away at least 12 other couples. I wouldn’t have expected a need for reservations here, but now I will call ahead. Food was incredible, service was terrific and very friendly. It really helped to scroll through the photos on Unilocal to see the menu items. We will be back as there was just too many good options on the menu to miss.

My family was headed to the Children’s «Imagine» Museum around the corner, but needed to eat first. We were so happy to have chosen this restaurant. Everything tasted delicious and the service was great. We will definitely be back!

Wow. Great Food of all places. Everett, WA.
After seeing the Unilocal Reviews we decided to try Kama’aina Grindz as we are here for a Wedding and wanted to eat some lunch before hand.
Restaurant located on a quiet cute street and we were welcomed with the «Aloha Spirit» We already kinda knew what we wanted but then ended up ordering something else different then what we previewed on Unilocal reviews.
We ordered the MAUI STYLE «BIBIMBAP» Flank Steak, Portuguese Sausage, Vegetable Medley, Korean Hot Sauce, and the CRAZY «LOCO MOCO» 8oz. Beef Patty, Smoked Pork, Over Easy Eggs, Red Wine Gravy, Kim Chee.
As read service is kinda slow but food is very tasty so guess that will make up for the difference. For a quick, fast meal. you might want to add a few extra minutes or order to go.
Beer and Wine served along with many juices, coffee and tea but NO Coke/​Pepsi Soda products served.
Kids menu is also available for the Keikis.
Credit Cards accepted Visa, MasterCard and one other that I cannot remember, but they don’t take American Express.
Overall service, food and hospitality GREAT! I wish I could order more but don’t think I’ll get the chance to return here in some time.

Pretty great place in Everett that we found on a whim. Very different approach to island style food but surprisingly equally as delicious. Will definitely revisit when the craving for back home hits. However, its location isn’t too convenient. I would definitely recommend this place for those looking for a new twist on old favorites.

Great food, great service, great everything! One of my favorite places to eat. Food is always delish!

Great little place that you definitely need to check out if you’re in Everett. They have so much delicious Hawaiian type foods. It’s open and small so I’d recommend getting there before the lunch or dinner rush because they can get pretty busy. Everything was delicious, I recommend the Kim chi Noodle Salad! It was sooooo delicious! Prices are good and they even give a tasty treat at the end.

Coming from Kona, the home of Sam Choy, the food is Ono! The service is the essence of Aloha! This will be a family favorite when in Everett.

Wonderful food great owners! I do always love a little spa musubi, but the salads are fresh and delicious too!
It is packed almost every time we go, but if we have to wait a few, it’s never a problem because we can put in a request for a table and go hang at the Irishman next door for a few.

Eat it? Maybe? Skip it?
… maybe.
Great menu, but the food wasn’t the best. I really wanted to LOVE this place from the interesting menu options by the other reviewers pictures here on Unilocal.We were really hoping this would become one of our favorite spots. Gave it a shot twice, but weren’t super impressed.
Hawaiian /​Polynesian food has such strong flavors in general (with foods ranging from salty and fried and sweet and sour) and that’s what I was expecting from a Hawaiian fusion restaurant — for all the huge island food flavors to predominantly stand out… I’m sad we didn’t find it here.

Glad we found this place. The food was good and the staff was attentive and friendly. One thing that really surprised me was how big the servings were! My husband and I ordered mango bread for an appetizer, chicken Katsu, and ramen. It was way too much food. We couldn’t finish the appetizer or much of the food. There were so many things that we wanted to try though! The flavors were good, not great. The Katsu curry was a little too sweet and the ramen was pretty standard. The noodles (made in house) were great. At the end of the meal we got some complimentary sorbet which we were too full to try.
If there are only two of you, rein yourselves in and don’t order as much as we did. One appetizer and entrée will have you very full!
I so would like to go back to try some other items on the menu.

Kama’aina Grindz is unreal. Their food is truly fusion at it’s finest. Rather than trying to mash up clashing cuisines Kama’aina Grindz takes the flavor and soul of Hawaiian food and uses modern techniques to create dishes that broke da mouth.
Crispy Smoked Gouda Cheese is not something you will see on the menu at a plate lunch place in Hawaii. But these deep fried cubes of smoky cheese were fantastic. Served with great sauces and salty smoky Portuguese sausage it is a well thought out fusion. I went with the Kauai Style Teri Beef Sandwich for my entrée. I’ve never been to Kauai but this sandwich was superb. Their Teri sauce was thick and rich, nearly creamy. It coated the tender strips of beef perfectly. I picked this just so I could try the Togorashi onion rings, and they were as good as they look.
The prices seem high for the north end, but half of the appetizer and half of the sandwich was more than enough to keep me satisfied all the way through a hockey game.
The food was fantastic, the service was friendly and the monthly specials all sound divine. I can’t wait to find myself here again soon.

My first time here and it did not disappoint. The food is really good and you can tell a lot of love goes into their dishes. It was hard to pick what our favorite dishes were but I must say the big wave burger was impressive. It came with Kailua pork on top of the burger. The loco moco looks and tastes delicious. I like their take on it. I would recommend this place for anyone who wants to try Hawaiian food with a little twist. Seating is limited so you might have to wait a little bit on certain days.

Super far away from the city but at least there are lots of free 90minute parking nearby the restaurant. We came in and were promptly seated. I ordered the crazy loco moco which comprises of a traditional loco moco with kalua pork and the whole thing is topped with some kimchi.
The kimchi surprisingly works really well with this dish. It gives it an extra acidic element to cut through the richness of the dish. The gravy was pretty light and still carried good flavors. My 8oz beef patty was cooked to my liking which is a bonus. The kalua pork was super juicy and tender and not too salty. I feel like most places make their kalua pork too salty for me and the cabbage is usually not enough to dilute the saltiness.
I want to commend their service as well. They messed up our order but I feel that they definitely went out of their way to fix it which is great. There are some restaurants that don’t which is really annoying but this place does it right.

Such a cute place! I’ve been meaning to come here for a while now but my cousin insisted I go after trying it yesterday. I ordered the Hawaiian Ahi Poke and my boyfriend ordered the bibimbap plate and we loved it! I personally think it’s a little on the pricer side but the presentation is beauuuuutiful and you know what they say — you eat with your eyes first! Or is it your nose? Whatever it is, the plates are so nicely presented, you can’t help but to not dig in when you get your food. My ahi poke was so good but for the price (I think it was like $ 17), I wish you had more to eat since the portion was so small but the bibimbap’s size was relatively decent for the price! Our meal ended with the complimentary POG (passion-​orange-​guava) sorbet and oh my goodness, it was SOOO good!
Definitely coming back here again when I’m craving Hawaiian. The lady who served us was so nice and helpful, really made me miss Hawaii because the hospitality was on point!

If you must fulfill your civic duty, like I did, and serve on jury duty, this place is a great place to go on your court-​appointed lunch break. It’s a very short walk from the courthouse and was very busy when I arrived at 12:10pm.
I sat outside because the weather was nice and the waitress was very attentive despite the lunch rush. I ordered the Volcano Seared Ahi Tuna salad ($ 16), which I highly recommend. All the other tables around me ordered the Mahi Mahi fish tacos and they smelled great. If it was cooler out, I might order the Island-​style «Phở», which is a twist on my fave noodle soup.
Lastly, I got a complimentary scoop of POG shaved iced with my check, which was delicious, refreshing and inspired me to tip a little extra. Can’t wait for my next jury summons!

Unilocal didn’t steer me wrong while driving from SEA airport to Whidbey Island and getting close to emotion = hangry. This was the top-​reviewed restaurant in the area and Kama’aina Grindz did not disappoint!
Server sat me promptly and walked me through the menu. Everything looked amazing so asked for her recommendation and she said the Chicken Katsu Curry was the most popular item on the menu. When the dish finally came (large party of 10 sat before me), it was absolutely fantastic. For $ 15 you get a pounded out chicken thigh, breaded and fried to perfection over sticky rice and a curry sauce. To keep it light, there was a julienned cucumber salad on top. The dish look gorgeous, straight out of a fine dining restaurant, but in a casual eatery. I also had a Hawaiian «soda» which was a cucumber ginger sparkling water thing that was very refreshing.
Why can’t Napa have a place like this? Good atmosphere, tasty food and a great prices? Can’t be beat!

Overall a great place.
The food varies between my two visits. Must be cooked by different cooks.
–dining area is clean with nice Hawaiian décor
–great service
–cooked fresh to order
I tried the famous gourmet loco moco the first time. The rice was under cooked. The hamburger was well done, but not a big deal. I asked for medium. The gravy was ok. A light brown gravy. The Kalua pig was perfect, juicy and hot. The flavors combined in this dish are delish together. But it was pricey. $ 16 which is like ordering two lunch plates. But it is fair considering it was a meal meant for two people.
–2^nd visit
Hawaiian phở
*rice noodle!
*coconut chicken curry broth!
*huli huli chicken!
*basil & cilantro!
$ 12 after tax
This bowl of phenomenal is a must eat for any one!

Consistency, value, and utterly divine food are characteristics synonymous with Kama’aina Grindz.
+3 For the food — A simple menu that makes the decision process a little easier with flavors that hit all the right notes
+1 For the interior — Hits more on an island surfer vibe
+1 For the service — I cannot recall ever having issues with the service. The gals are always attentive and warm despite how crazy it can get.
I usually list out what I ate at a particular meal, the question is more like: What have I not eaten here?
I am such a fan of the menus — minimalist, easy to read, and the plexiglass is a nice touch. It’s the little things that speak to me, like the exposed brick walls. As for the food, oh the divinity of the food, is without a doubt intoxicating and addicting.
If you don’t like spam, you will like spam. As one of their appetizers AKA Shaka Plates, the Spam Musubi is a winner. The spam is slightly browned and warmed through. Don’t disregard the greens in the middle! Those little leaves of goodness are dressed ever-​so-​lightly to combat the saltiness of the spam. The Mahi Mahi Fish tacos and Ginger Sesame Drumettes are pretty good, but as for apps, the Spam Musubi won my heart. You could easily order two or three apps and be satisfied.
Main Entrees I’ve tried:
–Volcano Seared Ahi Tuna Salad
This is a beautiful salad. The presentation made my eyes pop out of my head. The wontons atop the salad are not your typical salad wontons. They’re this heavenly-​light shreds of fried crispness that keep you light. Atop my pieces of tuna, were edamame peas, intentionally placed there. I adored the contrast of color of the bright green, to the earthy red of the tuna.
–Kama’aina Burger
Monstrous and messy and oh-​so-​gosh-​darn-​yummy. The Kama’aina burger puts basic burgers to shame, why have basic when you can have the world. That’s how I felt like when I ate this burger. The fries with nori seasoning, heck yes!
–Maui Style Bibimbap
Another favorite of mine is Korean food, of course, I had to try this dish out. Like traditional bibimbap, you have your identifiable different ‘banchans’ that are already thoroughly mixed. I appreciated this because I am horrible at creating an evenly distributed bibimbap dish. You still get the bibimbap sense, with various portions varying in temperature from the rice to the vegetables to the beef, with an added layer of flavor.
–Kaui Style Teriyaki Beef Sand
Remember how I mentioned the «lightness» of the wontons? That’s a common characteristic, fried, yet not, «Holy crap I think I’m going to have a heartattack» fried. The onion rings, more like wisps, both provide a satisfying crunch, yet melt in your mouth. How do they do that?! I have no idea. The chicken was tender and the sauce was neither too salty nor sweet that teriyaki has the tendency to be.
Desert:
Free desert?! Yes! Disclaimer: Do not judge it by its size, we’re talking flavors jam-​packed into a teeny tiny scoop, a melon-​baller scoop. They change up their flavors, on a rotation, I cannot say for certain. What I can say with great confidence is that the shaved ice/​sorbetto has never let me down. It’s shaved ice, but it’s not. The flakes of ice are not topped with flavoring, they ARE the flavor.
Easily one of the top places north of Seattle that bridges a clean modern taste with fresh and vibrant flavors only reminiscent of the islands with a nod to Asian influences.

Love this place.
I don’t venture into downtown Everett often (ok ever), but a friend suggested it for lunch and wow was I impressed!
There aren’t too many Hawaiian restaurants in My neck of the woods so this was quite the treat. Downtown Everett reminds me of downtown New Westminster, and the restaurant fits in well with the quaint-​yet-​modern feel of Colby Street.
Food wise… I should just let my pictures speak for themselves. Presentation alone was a party for our eyes! As for taste:
— crispy Gouda and sausage? Wow. Just, wow.
— ahi tuna poke bowl — this was pretty good (but considering you can get ahi poke at a lot of other places i wasn’t completely wowed but still good nonetheless)
— cold somen noodles and crispy pork wonton — oke of their features, this was light refreshing yet also cool and crispy!
Top it off with a Cucumber Dry soda and it was a beautiful meal.
I can’t wait to go back again and try some other food! Bring a group with you so you can try as many of the dishes as possible, the menu alone is mouthwatering!

Some of the best food I’ve had in my life at a very reasonable price, I would recommend Grindz to anyone. My friends where not interested in Hawaiian food so I eventually got a ride there for myself and had a grand feast of the senses.
The place is spotlessly clean, the lone waitress attentive and friendly, and the food is to die for. An absolute melody of flavors I would never have considered like marinated pulled pork on beef, or wasabi steak teriyaki. The onion rings where fried in a home made blend of something that was just delectable.
The Big Wave burger is a must-​have.
Second trip, had had he Hawaiian Phở, so good.
One of the easiest five stars I’ve ever given.