Wild Ginger McKenzie- South Lake Union

The service at this restaurant was the BEST I've had in over 4 years of living in downtown Seattle. Zach and Alex took great care of me and were very patient with my unique dietary demands. I'm vegan and predominantly gluten free. When I initially arrived, I was seated near the front and there was a large group at one of the tables nearby. I preferred a quieter environment and I asked to be moved to a different section behind the bar. Alex was very patient and moved me to my desired seating area and started me out with a vegan thai tea. After being seated in the new section, Zach showed me the options on the menu that fit my dietary needs along with recommendations. The food was phenomenal. I was pleasantly surprised. To give some context, I grew up in Minneapolis and Chicago and my dining experience was predominantly at top-tier award winning and Michelin star restaurants. I'm used to a certain level of service and food. In my experience, Seattle in general, does not have very good service. So, this Wild Ginger location in SLU really stood out the day I chose to dine in for lunch, thanks to Alex and Zach. The oshibori towel at the beginning was a nice touch.

Wild Ginger McKenzie is a solid spot overall, with a few standout dishes that keep us coming back. 1. Must-Order / Standouts: Fragrant Duck – Hands down the highlight of the menu and one of my favorite dishes here. Incredibly juicy, fragrant, and full of flavor. It’s great on its own or made into a sandwich with the steamed buns. Always consistent. Seven Flavor Beef – Another must-order. Juicy, bold, and packed with flavor. Always hits the spot. Pork Satay Skewer – The best of the skewers. Juicy pork with pineapple added to the peanut sauce—creative and surprisingly delicious. That little twist really elevates it. 2. Good / Meh Items: Gyoza – Good flavors, but pretty average. Nothing bad, just nothing memorable. Egg Rolls – Same story as the gyoza: fine, but nothing to write home about. Chicken Satay Skewer – Solid, but not standout. Chinese Sausage & Shrimp Fried Rice – Large portion, but overall average. Indian Butter Chicken – Tasty when it hits, but the spice level isn’t consistent from visit to visit. 3. Skip These: Beef Satay Skewer – A bit dry compared to the others. Tuna Tartare – Would not recommend. The fish didn’t seem very fresh and the flavors missed the mark. 4. Atmosphere & Service: The restaurant itself is nice and comfortable, and the service is generally decent. Our waiter often remembers us, which we appreciate, though sometimes they’ll talk for a few minutes when we’re clearly ready to eat. We did have one miss where an extra skewer was added to our plate and bill without asking, but it was removed right away once we mentioned it. Overall, Wild Ginger McKenzie is worth visiting - especially for the duck and seven flavor beef. A few average dishes here and there, but the highlights really shine.

Went here many time and never remembered write a review, so finally here you go - very authentic South Asia cousine and nice environment for getting together with friends, family or team lunches. Parking might be the challenge though just like anywhere in downtown.

Butter chicken (3.75/5) - little salt heavy Emerald breeze (3/5) - took without ice, it was okay! Green Curry Chicken (3/5) - Tastes a bit different. Liked eating as an extra but would be probably difficult to finish it alone. Service was really nice.

I walked in just before the dinner rush, and although half the dining room was empty I was told there was no available seating (due to upcoming reservations). There was an open spot at the bar, and after I placed my order they were quick to move me to an open single-seat table which freed up just before my food arrived. Service was courteous but not too warm and inviting. I liked the mochi cubes served with the chicken skewers, but I was turned off when I bit into the chicken and found it undercooked in the middle. Fortunately I didn't have any adverse effects later, but the texture of rare chicken was not very pleasant. Chicken Chiu salad had good flavor and nice amount of fresh ingredients. The rice dessert didn't look very appealing, but tasted good. I'm not sure I would return here after my experience with the chicken, as that will stick with my memory.

This is a nice restaurant with tasty food. Service is pretty good, the food is excellent if you like Thai/Asian food. Portions aren't huge, but they're enough to share if you order a few dishes. The weird thing was there was an overhead flickering light that was going off and on our entire visit. It was distracting and made our visit less enjoyable. Hopefully they'll fix the light!

The food was good. I got the fish of the day! A bit disappointed with the service. The staff was not knowledgeable of the menu The atmosphere was ok. It was during the holidays, so not many people in downtown Great sitting design, a mixture of booth, high-tops, and traditional We give them a B-

Food was good and portions were large for sharing. I orderd the beef with brown rice. Service was good and location easy to find. Bathrooms clean and resturant clean and inviting. Location able to accommodate both small and larger groups with enough notice.

Good place to chat after work but the food is not quite expected. The lamb is a bit bitter and the spring rolls are too oily but maybe it’s just me.

Cheating & sneaky. 1. Added an appetizer we didn't order & made us think it was included with the main dish. 2. The soda was poured from a can but didnt give us the rest of the can (small glass + ice = can should have half left in it), and made us think refill was free. We ended up paid $6 x3 for 1&1/2 soda cans. Never come back!