by Alexis M.

Two tips: 1. Try the carrot salad--it's the best carrot salad you ever had. 2. Go hungry and you'll still leave feeling fat in a good way. Etc:They wash your hands with rose water, which smells like urine to me, but my girlfriend loves it. She even puts it in her tea. You ask me, tea looks enough like urine without adding a touch of the smell too. (Go coffee and Splenda.)Conclusion:You like puns? Here's one for you: Mo' Rockin'. Yeah, you like that.

by Ron M.

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.

by Alexa B.

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.

by Jennifer G.

Other than a seating snaffoo that left our party of twenty a bit squished, this was one of the best group dinner experiences I've ever had.  I danced with a belly dancer (others just put dollars in her dress - it's not skanky; it's artistic and sexy [you perv/tightass]), ate food with my hands (so did everyone else) and wasn't given dirty looks when I moved to another table to mingle (I think this is because we all got the same five-course meal).I'm very picky about meat, and Marrakesh served it up right: the chicken and lamb were both delicious, and my obsession with picking food apart gave way to just getting it in my mouth.  Wow!I'd go here for the food alone.  The atmosphere is just the cherry on top.

by Shirin S.

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!

by Sydnie J.

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.

by Richard U.

I was in the mood for Moroccan food after watching too much travel channel.  Ravenous for something with cous cous or cooked in a tangine I came upon Marraesh Moroccan Restaurant in Belltown.  I liked interior which is meant to imitate its namesake.  You almost feel like you are in a large tent in North Africa.  I liked the atmosphere which is quite intimate and cozy.  I chose to get into  mood of the place and eat without utensils for most of the courses.  The prior hand washing table side by costumed servers also helped one get into the spirit of things.  The first course was a salad-like dish with chopped cucumber onions and some type of pureed vegetable hummus like substance in the center.  It was good, I was a bit confused if the bread, which was of a cake like consistency was supposed to be used like a flat bread (to scoop things into your mouth).  Either way it was tasty.  This first course also came with a cup of lentil soup which I found to be good as well.  The second course was somewhat odd, ground chicken and egg wrapped in phillo and covered in powered sugar.  Quite possibly this was an authentic Moroccan dish but I didn't like it very much.  The lamb and eggplant dish was quite good.  The lamb was very very tender and served on bone (my favorite!).  The dessert was a nice not-too sweet pudding served with a dramatic pouring of mint tea.  After appetizers, soup and dessert all for $20 is not a bad deal at all.  I was not present for the belly dancers which may have earned them another star!

by Dan P.

Boy...60 reviews for a Moroccan Restaurant in Seattle.  Must be a popular place.  Maybe Seinfeld should have recommended that Babu open a Moroccan restaurant instead of Pakistani!This is a fun restaurant.  I wouldn't classify their food as anything spectacular.  They have a few dishes that are tasty but nothing that will be longing you for more.  What is unique about this restaurant besides the food:*  Seating is lower to the floor*  Light level is low*  Belly dancer*  You choose a whole dinner by the whole set of dishes it includes instead of picking individual ones.  *  You wash your hands at the table (I'll leave the details on this one for you to discover)Because of all of this, the restaurant becomes more of a fun place to take a few out of town friends versus a place where you go for good food even though the food is pretty good.  Of course, who was really tasting the food...?  I was busy watching the belly dancer.

by Mindy W.

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.

by Nicholas G.

Oh my god have you been to this place? The food is excellent! They poor hot water over your hands! Did you ever wonder why there are no windows? Because theres carpet on the damned wall! Seriously, this place was a trip and everything worked together to create a really memorable experience. Also, belly dancing.

by Fridaypeach H.

My friend and I went to Marrakesh as she had been there before at a party.  And she did not have a problem them.  Perhaps because it was such a large group.The place IS NOT ALLERGY FRIENDLY!!!!!  Ok well they are and they aren't.  When my friend brought it to the waitress's attention that she did not eat gluten.  The waitress kept asking if it was that she just did not eat gluten or was she allergic.  That does not matter.  If someone tells you that they do not eat gluten..then they don't eat gluten.  The waitress then sighed and pointed out the things my friend would want to stay away from.  Not mentioning a head of time that perhaps my friend might want to order off the ala carte menu as the "feast" had many courses with gluten (i.e. the soup, the B'stilla).  The restaurant does not automatically give you the ala carte menu as most people do not order from it according to the waitress.  My friend politely asked for just the inside of the B'stilla and the waitress said it could not be done but she could bring another salad.  My friend pointed out that she was paying for the feast and had now missed out on the soup and the B'stillia...where upon the waitress sort of just shrugged her shoulders.  My friend asked for the bill to be reduced and the waitress said she should have ordered ala carte.  We then stated we did not know that was an option as that was not given to us in the menu.  We felt like the waitress did not understand or was very helpful in regards to this. Though the food was good, the atmosphere nice.  I won't be going back for the over priced food and unhelpful service!

by drie C.

FOOD was too sweetPoor service, tables were too close to each other.but hey, you get to experience a different kind of cuisine decorationso it worths a one time try

by Gus T.

Marrakesh is a fun place to be on a Saturday night.  The belly dancers are skilled and very entertaining.  The food is exotic and sitting on the floor in a room that reminds me of being in a Sultan's tent.The food is very good but some dishes were really too messy to eat without utensils.  You can ask for a fork, spoon, and knife if you want them. Some of the lamb dishes were definitely 5-star caliber some of the other dishes were more of a 31/2 to 4 star category.  Overall I'd give Marrakesh a 4 1/2 if I could.By the way, my kids thought it was a fun place too.

by Abby H.

It was by far the snowiest night in 20 years, and we all know that terrible weather makes humans feel hungry. What we didn't know was that people who work at Moroccan restaurants come to work, even on days where it's so blustery you feel like the sands of time through the hour glass (these are the days of our lives).What a relief that Marrakesh was open! We were promptly seated by our waitress (and, yes, the outfits come with the job; they are not her own) in a corner by the door. Apparently Marrakesh waits to fill the front room before the back, which is a bummer because it's really cold in the front room. But I was excited to see how the air made the canopy above us wriggle. It's the safest I've ever felt inside a tent in my life.And eating at Marrakesh is somewhat akin to a camping experience. They pour cold water on your hands, your napkin is a towel, and the couches are just as comfortable as the floor.The food was outstanding. Three courses, excellent vegetarian. They seemed to have run out of a lot of food that evening for some reason. I was not disappointed, however, in my flakey sweet and savory veggie-filled bastila with lots of sugar on top, warm lentil soup with excellent spice, and a fresh salad with bread. I was stuffed. And for nearly $30 alone, I wanted to be over-satisfied. But it was well worth the expenditure for a wonderful ambiance, a setting outside of the regular restaurant, generous service and a great case of scoliosis.

by Rebecca R.

This place rocks. What more can someone ask for but to sit on cushions on the floor, get your hands washed at your table, eat with your hands, be entertained by a very personable and good belly dancer, and excellent smiling happy servers! Yay!Perfect for a fun, intimate evening or large groups. The price is right, the food is delicious, fresh, and mmmm, and everyone is happy. We ordered:Salads MarrakeshTraditional Moroccan Lentil SoupB'Stilla RoyaleLamb M'Rouzia (with onions, raisins, and honey sauce)Chicken BrochetteDessert was rice pudding with cinnamon and coconutFresh, sweet mint teaOMG - it was all so good and it was easy to have conversation, eat with hands and they even took reservations!I will definitely go back.

by Jocelyn T.

Marrakesh has become my new favorite restaurant that I would go back again for sure. The first thing I love abt Marrakesh was the decor. Inside was like a big camping tent, but of course, a beautiful one. My bf and I arrived around 6pm and we were lucky enough to get the table without further waiting. Belly dance......who don't love watching belly dance, hehe~~ The dancer was curvy and very sexy in my opinion. However, i was too shy to put the tip around her waist. Should have asked my bf to do it for me, haha~~Five-course dinner was absolutely delicious and it made easier for we customers to make decisions. I had Lamb M'Rouzia for the entree. Amazing, amazing and amazing!!!! Lamb was juicy and very easy to tear off from the bone. I highly recommend this dish. Mint tea at the end was impressive, I really wanted to have another cup. We used the Entertainment Book and saved $12. Too bad the 2009 EB won't carry Marrakesh again........

by Lee S.

One star for good mint tea.None for:-Terrible terrible food. Poorly cooked, poorly seasoned, oversalted, simply inedible. We sent back most dishes uneaten.-Terrible terrible service. Waited 30-45 minutes between some courses. Had others brought out at the same time.-Given free baklava as an apology. Worst ever had and also uneaten.Don't trust the yelp reviews.

by Joshua B.

My wife took me here for my birthday (along with a bunch of friends) a few years back and we had a great time. The food was great, and everything I expected from a Moroccan place (a friend was with us who'd spent some time in Morocco and even he said it was good). The huge tables we sat at (round, in the corner) were good for conversing and sharing food. And the belly dancers, while they made me a bit nervous (do I tip? where? what if I touch something I shouldn't?), are a great addition.Even the outside of the restaurant is nice, with the tiled mosaic "windows" (faux window indents). Not a lot of places like this in Seattle, but it's good there's this one.  Definitely great for groups, but not for the claustrophobic, with the low-slung billowy fabric (is that a fire hazard?) ceiling.

by Naoko S.

Great experience. Atmosphere is very,,,Moroccan? tho i don't know what i should expect a Moroccan atmosphere. Very neat tho. Great for a big group gathering (looked like).The food is tasty. The dinners are priced $17.50. Or you can do $19 per person Feast. A good sized (just want to say not huge) Main but plus,1. You get to wash your hands at the table because you eat with your hands (kool!) and your napkin is a towel.2. Sharing starts with an appetizer salad for the table you eat with bread (yum!) and also a bowl of soup for each.3. Another Pie like sweet and savory appetizer to share. (i was kinda full at this point)4. Entrees arrive. Everyone shares.5. Wash hands again and prepare for the dessert.6. Dessert -the apple something was very refreshing i loved the texture of the diced apple w/ some sweetness added- and Mint Tea.Also belly dancing while u tackle the food with your fingers.It was awesome.I ordered the server's favorite, Chicken Honey and Prunes, and it was goooood.

by Gloss E.

This is definitely a novelty restaurant.  My friends and I had fun.  The other diners seemed to be enjoying themselves also.  One odd thing was that there was only one belly dancer the night we went and she got interrupted a couple times by the manager asking her questions about what we presumed to be someone's bill.The food is fair, not great. If it weren't' for the overall experience, I'd say skip it.  I've never recommended a restaurant unless I can rate the food somewhere between yummy and fabulous and this was neither. Still, if you are looking for a fun place to celebrate a birthday or something, this isn't a bad choice

by Patricia M.

Dinner Friday night with 7 of friends.  We were seated immediately at a nice corner table that accomodated us nicely.  A couple people from our party were still trying to find parking, but the server hustled us on to ordering, washing our hands and our first course. Her manner was that of a prison warden or a lunch lady!The food was awful!!! Bland, cold and tossed at usas if we were playing air hockey.  I did enjoy the belly dancer, she was very friendly and got many of the diners to join in her belly dancing fun.  I would not ever go back however.  I paid $40 for a bad dinner and some bubbly.

by Shauna D.

At $18.50 a person, you get a five course meal and entertainment to boot!The meal includes lentil soup, bread with dip (carrots and salad), main entree, dessert and mint tea.  The lentil soup was good though a bit on the thin side.  The bread wasn't fantastic and not heated up. The dip was good though.  There's a huge list of entrees to choose from.  I got the lamb with eggplant which came out lukewarm. The dessert was a pudding that I liked but was too full to appreciate more.  They didn't make a production out of the mint tea pouring.  It was good though.I've had better Moroccan food before but I liked the belly dancer here.  She was very sweet.  I was somewhat irritated the other patrons weren't paying attention and I was one of the few people who actually tipped her.  Of course, that meant she dragged me up to dance with her a bit.A solid three stars.  It's a very fun meal!

by Irene L.

Is there a way to give 0 stars?A group of friends and I went to this restaurant because we were curious about a restaurant with no windows... Four of us went and probably ate 1 person's share of food and left the rest behind (Not a good value for our money)Unfortunately the best part of our dining experiences was the belly dancer (most of that 1 star was because of her). The food was not very good. The sauces were too salty. The meat was dry. The baklava dessert was not crunchy. The seating arrangements made our backs hurt (whether it was sitting on the actual bench or on the cushions on the ground). The honey mint tea at the end was good, but not good enough to redeem the rest of the dining experience.So if you decide to go, go for the great belly dancing and the tea at the end. And if you don't expect too much from the actual food, I think you can have a very enjoyable experience.

by Nina T.

Reservation at 8:15pm. We show up at that time, and there are several other parties with reservations before us who are waiting in the entryway, which is like 4'x4' so we're packed in like sardines. The guy seating people didn't seem to be too concerned about the whole reservation thing and was seating parties of 2 without reservations. After a few rounds of listening to him say "a few more minutes" and not seeing a single party with reservations be seated, we left.They messed that one up badly.

by Scott O.

Marrakesh in Seattle is your typical sit-on-the-floor, use-bread-as-utensil, get-a-bellydancing-show-on-the-weekends kind of Moroccan restaurant.  Get wowed by the exotic courses and crisp service; sort of like a low-key Benihana for slackers. Some entrees are decent, the bastilla appetizer (chicken in phyllo pastry) is excellent here, but overall the menu is A-OK.  If anything it borders on syrupy sweet; I recommend learning towards the savory dishes unless you need a Halloween-sized sugar high.Fun for groups, especially if you've never been to a Morrocan restaurant.  But why does it seem it that nearly every Moroccan restaurant in the U.S. has to call itself Marrakesh?  They all seem to have the same name, interior decor, canned music and entrees; it makes you think that if you've been to one you've been to 'em all.

by Jon E.

This business should thank it's lucky stars there isn't a thriving community of Moroccan restaurants in Seattle.  Because if there was, they'd either have to clean up or ship out.  You pay a lot to go here mainly for the novelty of eating Moroccan food and seeing belly dancers.  The food is edible but not captivating; the waitstaff is fine but not excellent.  They do nice things like bring water out to wash your hands before you eat.  But overall it's just "blah".  It's nice to go once for the experience, but chances are it'll be a one-time thing.BTW I do enjoy the Marrakesh in Portland more than this one.  The space is quainter there, and maybe the food's better too?

by Ted T.

Marrakesh is one of those interesting novelty restaurants that manages to survive in the middle of downtown.  The experience (hand washing, sitting on the floor, eating with your hands, etc) is fun and doesn't feel too forced.  It's a fun place to go with a group as the atmosphere and communal eating becomes a catalyst for good conversation.The service is hit and miss.  The first time I went the server was outstanding, attentive and very good at her job.  The second time, the server we had was ok, but considering we were one of two tables, it was a bit odd how often he just seemed to disappear.The food, like the service, is hit and miss.  Some of the dishes are delicious like the sweet and savory appetizer (don't remember what it's called) and the chicken with honey and prunes.  Other items are merely ok like the chicken with preserved lemon and olives (a bit on the dry side).  Though the $18 price tag on a 5 course meal (soup, salad, appetizer, main course, dessert) is one of the best values in Belltown.Overall Marrakesh is good, but not great.  If the food quality was a bit more consistent, I would definitely bump it up to 4 stars.  Either way, if you haven't gone, I would recommend going at least once and trying out the 'experience'.  Some may  love it, some may hate it, but in my opinion, it is a welcome part of the Belltown restaurant scene and I wouldn't mind heading back to give it yet another try in the near future.

by Katy H.

I had never had Moroccan cuisine before my trip to Marrakesh... but I'm SOLD! Some girlfriends and I went to celebrate a birthday and it couldn't have been a better choice. The service was timely and friendly, the food was totally delicious, and the touches like the decorations, the floor seating, the hand washing, and the belly dancing make it a really unique and fun experience. Just thinking about this place makes my mouth water... it's time to plan a trip back!

by Cara L.

When I go out to eat, I like to have a positive dining experience. Unfortunately, the rude wait-service at Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant outweighed many of the positive things about the place and made it a poor dining experience. Frankly, I was embarrased to have invited a few of my closest friends to join me here to celebrate my birthday on Saturday. Thankfully the food was good and the bellydancer did a wonderful job given that she danced non-stop between the two dining areas for 20-30 minutes. Trust me when I say that is not an easy task!If you plan to eat at Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant, please note:1. You can all order the royal feast or you can all order dishes from the menu a la cart. They do not allow you to order both ways. This was surprising to me since I did not see this rule clearly written on their menu or website. 2. With the royal feast, each person does not get to choose an individual main course. Instead, a variety of entrees are brought to share.2. We were among the very first people seated for the evening and they only had one diet coke left. Granted, most people probably drink wine with their dinner. However...3. When they say family-style they mean family-style. Plates were not provided so we ended up eating round-robin style. You do get your own bowl of lentil soup, but the Moroccan salad and B'stille appetizer were of the no-fork, eat-with-your-hands variety. Thankfully, forks were provided for the main course and dessert. I'm not a germ-a-phobe, but not having at least my own small plate  to eat from was pushing my comfort limits. The optimist in me says I should probably commend the restaurant for taking measures to reduce the amount of dishes they have to wash which also the reduces the amount of water and dish soap they have to use which ultimately will Save The World!4. They use towels for napkins. Not just any towels, either.  Plain, ugly, white, gym towels. The kind that are obviously worn and snagged in places. It kind of ruined the visual appeal for me.5. The wait staff is attentive. However, it seemed like they were only attentive because they were trying to seat us, feed us, bill us and kick us out the door within a certain amount of time. This is definitely not a restaurant where you can go and expect to have time to savor the moments and  have lengthy conversations over bottles of wine.I have had three separate and wonderful dining experiences at Kasbah Restaurant, also in Seattle (off 85th near Ballard). If you are trying to choose between the two, I would recommend you 'Rock the Kasbah!' hehe.

by Anna P.

Do go if you enjoy: sitting on cushy pillows, ambient lighting, friendly service, communal hand washing, tearing into pieces of animal flesh with your hands (god knows I do), amazing mint tea, and eggplant dip.Don't go if you expect: paying under $30, utensils, attractive bellydancers.

by George I.

Make sure you make a reservation upfront. This place is booked out for the most part so call couple of days before. The atmosphere is great and authentic. You sit on the floor, the table is very low to the ground.The dances are great too and bring extra charm to that place. The food was very delicious. The appetizer (humus with smth?) was delicious. We got lamb and chicken and both of them were great picks. The price was overall normal for the quantity of food and entertainment. I'll definitely go back.

by Jessica H.

When it comes to Moroccan cuisine in Seattle, this like the five stars say: "woo hoo! as good as it gets!"I first went to Marrakesh when I was a wee lass in Spokane and have great memories as a child of getting to EAT WITH MY FINGERS! and SIT ON THE FLOOR! And as an adult in Belltown tonight I was equally excited by the novelty of it all. After quite a long restaurant drought, I was eager to get dolled up and find something to celebrate. As of late I have made some really proactive relational and life changes that have taken great courage so the best way to milk those for all they're worth was with lentil soup and mango mimosas. There were three medium size groups beside myself and my date and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and the expedient service. We ordered the eggplant and lamb entree as well as the chicken, honey and prune dish. The phyllo pastry covered with powdered sugar and filled with chicken and herbs was just as remarkable as I had remembered. The meat of the chicken breast was literally falling off of the bone. The low lighting and jewel-tone colors coupled with the ability to eat the sweetly scented food with your hands makes for a sensual and romantic experience. This is a great place to take a date for a good first impression as well as in order to rekindle some spice in a well-established love affair. As you lick the honey sauce from each other's fingers, you'll thank me.

by Tassa T.

I have never before given a one star review to a restaurant on Yelp, but this one really worked for it. Here goes...A group of five work friends and I went out for a special celebration on a Friday night. We did have a reservation and were seated very quickly, but ran up against problems almost immediately after. Firstly, the food itself was rather underwhelming. I have had Moroccan in a similar style before and was dearly looking forward to a five-course feast, but unfortunately Marrakesh's execution was very hit or miss. The lentil soup was flavorful but tepid, almost cold. The bastilla appetizer (flaky phyllo with spiced chicken and almond filling) was just middling. And dessert as just a mixed fruit salad?  For the price of a full course meal, that seemed chintzy. Luckily, the entrees were largely delicious. Moroccan food is often sweet with many braised meat items, and the chicken with honey and prunes did not fail to disappoint. The lamb with eggplant was a wonderful savory contrast. Unfortunately, we were unable to enjoy the sauces quite as well as we would have liked as we were only rationed two small pieces of anise bread a piece!  Yes, I said rationed. At the start of the meal, before we had any of the communal dishes at all, our waitress arrived with a large basket of bread and instructed everyone to take two pieces, and two pieces only. That was all we received for the entire meal. This may not seem outrageous until you consider that Moroccan cuisine is eaten with one's hands, no utensils. As such, for crumbly dishes like couscous or saucy dishes like the aforementioned chicken and lamb, you usually use small bits of spongy anise bread to scoop the food up. Thus, while we liked what we could grab of our food, it was nigh on impossible to completely finish a dish. I have never before been to a Moroccan restaurant where anise bread was a rationed commodity.As it turns out, the bread rations set the tone for the entire service experience. From the moment we sat down, it became obvious that their goal was to get us in and out and turn the table. We were slammed through all five courses in barely over an hour, and rushed to the point that our server came to ask if we were ready for dessert in the middle of our entree, with five hands actively pulling apart a chicken!   The floor manager also made it abundantly clear that if you even asked a question they didn't like, they would not serve you. Case in point: two members of the party wished to order a drink and pay for it separately (our sales manager had said he was only paying for the main course). We asked the waiter politely if it was possible to pay for two beers separate from the main check, and she punted to the floor manager. That part was fine, we were willing to understand if they did not split checks, and in that case we would have been happy to find another way of arranging it. However, the floor manager's way of handling this was to get flustered and snappy, say "we'll deal with it later" and storm away from the table!  The beers then failed to materialize for the first course. When we politely asked the waitress on the second course if we could please have the drinks we'd ordered, she apologized for missing them, went into the back...and never returned with them. We asked A THIRD TIME once the main entrees had arrived, and AGAIN they would not serve!  We were carded, polite...and yet apparently not worthy of service. The only thing I could think was that we had somehow deeply offended the manager by inquiring about their billing policy. All in all, I will not be returning to this restaurant, period. There are far better dining experiences in Seattle that are much, much less expensive and less of a headache.

by Kristin W.

I don't know where to start. I made the mistake of coming here with my boyfriend for my birthday after having a positive experience at one in Spokane about 5 years ago...Anyway, this place is cramped, crowded, too dark and loud. The food was  ok but horribly overpriced. Seriously. 40 bucks for some meat and bread? The belly dancer was ok but I have to say, not even hot. If I was going to hire someone to dance around with their boobs in people's faces while they eat I would hire a hot chick.I give it one star for some of the cool seating and decorating, I guess. Really more because Yelp does not allow less than one star.The absolute worst part, and I mean, made me want to pull my F**ing hair out, was the other people dining there. Huge groups of giant obese women and men all being loud and obnoxious and taking pictures. In a dark restaurant, every 5 seconds, taking myspace pictures. This just pushes me off the deep end. I hate when people do that. They were all older, too-maybe even into their 30's! "oh, look at me eating at some awesome place that has carpet on the wall oh woweee'I guess that would have only been acceptable if their adventures leading up to their meal at the Marrakesh for dinner that night involved one of the various raves in central district, every bar down 2nd ave and slight mental retardation.I will not return here. Ever.

by Marko J.

You walk in, you sit down on the floor, you wash your hands, you pick your entre (rabbit and lamb have pieces of heaven in it), you get the lentin soup (5/5), you get the salad (4/5), you get the bastilla (5/5), you get the entre (5/5-been here 5 times, never had a bad entre, again the rabbit and the lamb have pieces of heaven in it), you get the desert (5/5) and you wash your hands. It's so tough to be a little bastards and try to find bad things. I mean I could:The wine and the beer list is bad. But it's a Moroccan place, WTF do you expect. The price is a bit much. But WTF do you expect for an experience like this. The service can be slow. But WTF do you want from a place where a 5 course tasting menu is ~$30. In any case, I like this place, because they give it to you straight up, and no sugar coating. When you're done with it, you feel good, serene, content, and relaxed. Take some time eating here. It will remind you what food is all about. Not caloric value or energy, but the shear joy of sharing it with somebody.

by David W.

Definitely an experience. The atmosphere is great, the service is wonderful. However, this is not an in-and-out convenience restaurant: it's a full course meal and takes well over an hour to enjoy everything.Live dancers in the evening, too. All their chicken dishes were amazing. The seating is nontraditional, hence why it is an experience. Also, the other patrons were very private, and not full of poser trendies.

by Denise E.

This place is really all about the experience. The food is great and the service was excellent too, but the thing that will keep me coming here is the unique experience they offer. Sitting on the floor and eating with your hands. The funny thing is I don't even like eating with my hands--I get teased for eating chicken wings with a fork and knife, but it sure was fun. Our waitress was pleasant, witty and made me feel very comfortable with the menu. Dress appropriately for sitting on the floor and making a huge mess.

by Don L.

What a fun dining experience! Went here for the 2nd time with a large group for a birthday party, and we were in time for the bellydancer (830 on Saturday nights). When you walk in, you'll feel transported back to the days of yore, as they have the interior DARK and made up to look like you are in a large tent. You sit around circular tables, complete with floor cushions, and the experience is very "Indy Jones". You'll wash your hands in a large pot, as there aren't utensils - your hands are your instruments! We opted for the "royal feast", which is a 5 course meal. The one drawback is that its pre-fixe, but that also takes a lot of guesswork out of the menu. There's a LOT of tabouli options, but there's also plenty of meat for you carnivores. The honey/prune chicken is sweet..almost TOO sweet. I'm also picky about lamb, and the eggplant-lamb combo is quite tasty. The meal comes with a great mint-tea at the end, to wash down this interesting dessert cup of chopped apples. There's a variety of spices in there that I can't name, but definitely add to the exotic. The Moroccan beer is worth trying, but at $5 a bottle skip it and just enjoy the FOOD.The bellydancer is quite skilled and puts on a good show - several people - including one from our group (not me) - got up and danced with her. Good for a group, or as a couple!

by Inna B.

This was my fourth and I'm quite sure last visit to this restaurant.The atmosphere is great, eating with my hands is fun, the hand-washing part is neat, and I love having several courses.The service has varied from good to kind of lacking. I've been as a 2 person group, a 6 person group, and twice as a ~15 person group. The best times have been with the 6+ because that way we get to try a variety of different main entrees (instead of just two). Seeing the belly dancer is fun, but you have to make sure you're there on the days she performs (Wed-Sun) AND be there when she actually performs (today we got there at 8:30pm and apparently she danced at 7:30pm). Oh, and don't forget to make reservations (especially for a big group)!As for the food... well... I enjoy the salad, the lentil soup, the savory powdered sugar ground meat item, the mint tea, and sometimes the dessert (tonight's milk pudding was quite good but the chopped apple last time was odd). The main courses, however... I don't know. The first two times I was very impressed, but now I think the food is just okay and I feel a bit bad when the bill comes. It just seems like there are so many more great places in Seattle where I can get better quality for the same price (or less) and walk away feeling perfectly satiated instead of feeling like I over-ate because all that food was in front of me and because I enjoy eating with my hands.It was good while it lasted, but this relationship ends here. Best luck to you, Marrakesh. Last week I returned for another wonderful girls night event..... and this time several of the girls…

by Elise L.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not an expert on Moroccan food. And yet... this place feels a bit dated. You know when you walk into a place and go, "Huh, this place tastes like the 70's." Well, I think Marrakesh tastes like the 80's. Not in a bad way, just in that sort of "We've been cooking this stuff for the last 25 years like this, not changing anytime soon" sort of way. And, some of it shouldn't be changed. The lamb we had was fall-apart tender. The Bastilla tasted apparently just as my boyfriend remembered from when he was a kid - powdered sugar and all (I kind of think powdered sugar, phyllo, chicken and egg is weird, but to each their own). And the six-year-old twins we took here for their birthday had a blast with the phyllo dough and eating rice with their hands. (To the couple sitting next to us who were obviously out on a date: Sorry. I wanted to get them in and done with eating earlier, but they were still full from cake. I hope you didn't get too much rice on your nice shoes). But, a few dishes fell flat. Their daily fish with tomato wasn't all that well spiced. The phyllo-wrapped moussaka potatoes, while a fantastic indulgence of carbs, felt like it was missing something - and tomato sauce with a couple of strategically placed green olives wasn't it. I'll end by giving this piece of knowledge gained from my first trip to Marrakesh with just the boyfriend: When it came time for the waiter to wash our hands after the meal, our waiter decided to give me a "little extra." As in, he squirted orange blossom water all over my chest. Seriously. For your own sake, ladies, do not wear low cut tops to Marrakesh.

by Elise L.Inna B.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not an expert on Moroccan food. And yet... this place feels a bit dated. You know when you walk into a place and go, "Huh, this place tastes like the 70's." Well, I think Marrakesh tastes like the 80's. Not in a bad way, just in that sort of "We've been cooking this stuff for the last 25 years like this, not changing anytime soon" sort of way. And, some of it shouldn't be changed. The lamb we had was fall-apart tender. The Bastilla tasted apparently just as my boyfriend remembered from when he was a kid - powdered sugar and all (I kind of think powdered sugar, phyllo, chicken and egg is weird, but to each their own). And the six-year-old twins we took here for their birthday had a blast with the phyllo dough and eating rice with their hands. (To the couple sitting next to us who were obviously out on a date: Sorry. I wanted to get them in and done with eating earlier, but they were still full from cake. I hope you didn't get too much rice on your nice shoes). But, a few dishes fell flat. Their daily fish with tomato wasn't all that well spiced. The phyllo-wrapped moussaka potatoes, while a fantastic indulgence of carbs, felt like it was missing something - and tomato sauce with a couple of strategically placed green olives wasn't it. I'll end by giving this piece of knowledge gained from my first trip to Marrakesh with just the boyfriend: When it came time for the waiter to wash our hands after the meal, our waiter decided to give me a "little extra." As in, he squirted orange blossom water all over my chest. Seriously. For your own sake, ladies, do not wear low cut tops to Marrakesh.This was my fourth and I'm quite sure last visit to this restaurant.The atmosphere is great, eating with my hands is fun, the hand-washing part is neat, and I love having several courses.The service has varied from good to kind of lacking. I've been as a 2 person group, a 6 person group, and twice as a ~15 person group. The best times have been with the 6+ because that way we get to try a variety of different main entrees (instead of just two). Seeing the belly dancer is fun, but you have to make sure you're there on the days she performs (Wed-Sun) AND be there when she actually performs (today we got there at 8:30pm and apparently she danced at 7:30pm). Oh, and don't forget to make reservations (especially for a big group)!As for the food... well... I enjoy the salad, the lentil soup, the savory powdered sugar ground meat item, the mint tea, and sometimes the dessert (tonight's milk pudding was quite good but the chopped apple last time was odd). The main courses, however... I don't know. The first two times I was very impressed, but now I think the food is just okay and I feel a bit bad when the bill comes. It just seems like there are so many more great places in Seattle where I can get better quality for the same price (or less) and walk away feeling perfectly satiated instead of feeling like I over-ate because all that food was in front of me and because I enjoy eating with my hands.It was good while it lasted, but this relationship ends here. Best luck to you, Marrakesh. Last week I returned for another wonderful girls night event..... and this time several of the girls…

by Elise L.Inna B.Don L.Denise E.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not an expert on Moroccan food. And yet... this place feels a bit dated. You know when you walk into a place and go, "Huh, this place tastes like the 70's." Well, I think Marrakesh tastes like the 80's. Not in a bad way, just in that sort of "We've been cooking this stuff for the last 25 years like this, not changing anytime soon" sort of way. And, some of it shouldn't be changed. The lamb we had was fall-apart tender. The Bastilla tasted apparently just as my boyfriend remembered from when he was a kid - powdered sugar and all (I kind of think powdered sugar, phyllo, chicken and egg is weird, but to each their own). And the six-year-old twins we took here for their birthday had a blast with the phyllo dough and eating rice with their hands. (To the couple sitting next to us who were obviously out on a date: Sorry. I wanted to get them in and done with eating earlier, but they were still full from cake. I hope you didn't get too much rice on your nice shoes). But, a few dishes fell flat. Their daily fish with tomato wasn't all that well spiced. The phyllo-wrapped moussaka potatoes, while a fantastic indulgence of carbs, felt like it was missing something - and tomato sauce with a couple of strategically placed green olives wasn't it. I'll end by giving this piece of knowledge gained from my first trip to Marrakesh with just the boyfriend: When it came time for the waiter to wash our hands after the meal, our waiter decided to give me a "little extra." As in, he squirted orange blossom water all over my chest. Seriously. For your own sake, ladies, do not wear low cut tops to Marrakesh.This was my fourth and I'm quite sure last visit to this restaurant.The atmosphere is great, eating with my hands is fun, the hand-washing part is neat, and I love having several courses.The service has varied from good to kind of lacking. I've been as a 2 person group, a 6 person group, and twice as a ~15 person group. The best times have been with the 6+ because that way we get to try a variety of different main entrees (instead of just two). Seeing the belly dancer is fun, but you have to make sure you're there on the days she performs (Wed-Sun) AND be there when she actually performs (today we got there at 8:30pm and apparently she danced at 7:30pm). Oh, and don't forget to make reservations (especially for a big group)!As for the food... well... I enjoy the salad, the lentil soup, the savory powdered sugar ground meat item, the mint tea, and sometimes the dessert (tonight's milk pudding was quite good but the chopped apple last time was odd). The main courses, however... I don't know. The first two times I was very impressed, but now I think the food is just okay and I feel a bit bad when the bill comes. It just seems like there are so many more great places in Seattle where I can get better quality for the same price (or less) and walk away feeling perfectly satiated instead of feeling like I over-ate because all that food was in front of me and because I enjoy eating with my hands.It was good while it lasted, but this relationship ends here. Best luck to you, Marrakesh. Last week I returned for another wonderful girls night event..... and this time several of the girls… What a fun dining experience! Went here for the 2nd time with a large group for a birthday party, and we were in time for the bellydancer (830 on Saturday nights). When you walk in, you'll feel transported back to the days of yore, as they have the interior DARK and made up to look like you are in a large tent. You sit around circular tables, complete with floor cushions, and the experience is very "Indy Jones". You'll wash your hands in a large pot, as there aren't utensils - your hands are your instruments! We opted for the "royal feast", which is a 5 course meal. The one drawback is that its pre-fixe, but that also takes a lot of guesswork out of the menu. There's a LOT of tabouli options, but there's also plenty of meat for you carnivores. The honey/prune chicken is sweet..almost TOO sweet. I'm also picky about lamb, and the eggplant-lamb combo is quite tasty. The meal comes with a great mint-tea at the end, to wash down this interesting dessert cup of chopped apples. There's a variety of spices in there that I can't name, but definitely add to the exotic. The Moroccan beer is worth trying, but at $5 a bottle skip it and just enjoy the FOOD.The bellydancer is quite skilled and puts on a good show - several people - including one from our group (not me) - got up and danced with her. Good for a group, or as a couple!This place is really all about the experience. The food is great and the service was excellent too, but the thing that will keep me coming here is the unique experience they offer. Sitting on the floor and eating with your hands. The funny thing is I don't even like eating with my hands--I get teased for eating chicken wings with a fork and knife, but it sure was fun. Our waitress was pleasant, witty and made me feel very comfortable with the menu. Dress appropriately for sitting on the floor and making a huge mess.