In Seattle, we all LOVE good Teriyaki. Licton Springs is no exception, and we are lucky to have at least 4 Teriyaki places within our < 1 square mile neighborhood. With so many to choose from it can be difficult to know which one to try out. So, we decided to make the only logical decision and try all 4!

The methodology

For this taste test we decided to go with the plain Teriyaki Chicken dish from all 4 locations. We took turns with a blindfold on while the other randomly gave us a taste of one of the Teriyaki dishes and asked for a score from 1-5. We didn't include cost in our calculation since all 4 Teriyaki places had their Teriyaki priced within a few dimes of each other in the $8 range. NOTE: Many of them also have lunch specials for around $7.

The contenders

1. Manna Deli Teriyaki

   Conveniently located on Aurora and with very friendly service, this Teriyaki place currently enjoys the highest rating of the 3 Teriyaki only restaurants on Yelp, but unfortunately had the lowest health rating at the time we went.

   • Address: 9831 Aurora Ave N Seattle, WA 98103
   • Hours: 11AM-9PM Monday-Saturday, Closed Sunday
   • Current Health Rating: Okay

2. Oak Tree Teriyaki

   Located in the Oak Tree Plaza, right near the recently remodeled AMC (easily one of the comfiest theaters in Seattle now), this has long been my favorite Teriyaki place. The owner is super friendly, they have these excellent house fries, and they have hours that work pretty well for eating before or after movies. However, I always get the Spicy Teriyaki here, so I'm curious to see how the regular Teriyaki fares.

   • Address: 10002 Aurora Ave N, Seattle, WA 98133
   • Hours: 11AM-9PM Monday-Saturday, Closed Sunday
   • Current Health Rating: Good

3. Teriyaki Plus

   The only Teriyaki place of the 4 that neither of us had been to before, so we are both stoked to try it out for the first time.

   • Address: 2100 N Northgate Way b, Seattle, WA 98133
   • Hours: 11AM-9PM Monday-Saturday, Closed Sunday
   • Current Health Rating: Excellent

4. Cafe Banh Mi

   Tucked away in a business complex on Meridian Ave, Cafe Banh Mi is the only place we tried that isn't marketed as a Teriyaki restaurant. It does, however, happen to have Teriyaki permanently on the menu. We discovered this when traveling back to Seattle on an early morning flight. We missed Seattle Teriyaki so much on our vacation - that we craved it upon returning. Cafe Banh Mi was the only place that served Teriyaki we could find that was also open at 8 AM. However, their matching early close time and non-existent weekend hours mean we don't get to enjoy this place nearly as often as we'd like to.

   • Address: 10700 Meridian Ave N #106, Seattle, WA 98133
   • Hours: 7AM-5PM Monday-Friday, Closed Saturday & Sunday
   • Current Health Rating: Excellent

The ratings

1. Cafe Banh Mi

   With a generous coating of Teriyaki glaze covering perfectly moist chicken, Cafe Banh Mi easily took the #1 spot.

   • Amanda: 4.5 - "Delicious. I want more."
   • Tim: 4.5 - "By far the best."

2. Oak Tree Teriyaki Oak Tree's distinctive crunch helped pull it into #2 place. And then there are those glorious house fries...

   • Amanda: 3.75
   • Tim 4.0 - "Has a really nice crunch to it."

   Bonus (House Fries):

   • Amanda: 5.0 - "This isn't what we are taste testing, but these are delicious."
   • Tim: 10 - "That's right, these are off the scale. It's a good thing these aren't included in the actual rating."

3. Manna Deli Teriyaki

   • Amanda: 3.5 - "Has a nice flavor to it, but I want a bit more."
   • Tim 3.25

4. Teriyaki Plus Some more teriyaki sauce may have made all the difference for this one.

   • Amanda: 3.25 - "Too Dry."
   • Tim 3.0 - "Too Dry!"

Disagree with our ratings? Let us know why in the comments! Either way, go eat some delicious Teriyaki in Licton Springs!

Serving up delicious Latin Cuisine right on Aurora Avenue, Tropicos Breeze has long been one of Licton Spring's most beloved restaurants. So, when I was told the Licton Springs location had closed, I feared the worse.

Rushing to the restaurant after work, I was greeted not by Tropicos Breeze, but by El Patio. What a quick transformation! Entering El Patio, I saw familiar faces and after talking to the staff learned what had taken place. The Licton Spring's Tropicos Breeze location was sold to the owner's cousin. The new restaurant, I was told, retains the same staff and great quality food we have come to love.

I ordered Pollo en Crema and Horchata - two of my favorite standbys from the old Tropicos Breeze. You know, just to make sure I was told the truth... And I can happily confirm: the food here is as tasty as ever!

Whether you're a long time fan of the old Tropicos Breeze or just looking for some good Latin Cuisine, I encourage you to welcome El Patio to the neighborhood!