Maize & Barley

I recently went to Maize & Barley for the first time in over a year and I was so quickly reminded of why I love this restaurant. There are a number of good-to-very-good restaurants in Edmonds; however, Maize & Barley has always set itself apart from the rest with its diverse, and unique, menu for both drinks and food, which keep us coming back for more. We ordered the Roja Vieja (Braised Beef) and Midnight Cuban, which I would say is off of Maize & Barley's "greatest hits," and also added the Papa's (potatoes) w/ Aioli, Arepa con Queso, Pickled Veggies, and Split Pea Soup and it was all Unique and delicious.5/5 - Roja Vieja: The braised beef was succulent, full of spice and flavor which made every bite delicious. The chimichurri and other accompaniments balanced out the beef well. It's a great sandwich. L6/5 - Midnight Cuban: This is one of my favorite sandwiches, period. The pork is crispy, yet also fork-tender. It's a great balance of fatty, succulent pork, with acidic pickles and creamy cheese and aioli. It's a great sandwich. 4/5 - Pickled Vegetables: Packed full of flavor and a great introduction to vegetables that I had never tried before. It's a great compliment to the savory, rich flavors of the sandwiches.4/5 - Papas: Normally the "papas" are your generic white-potatoes; however, this time around they used sweet potatoes which had a great caramelized sweetness. The only thing that I longed for were to have a slightly crispier exterior to offset the smooth interior. A realtor nice natural sweet and savory treat. 3.5/5 - Arepa Con Queso: The Arepa Con Queso in a vacuum compared to other Arepas is a solid 4+, but when you compare it to other offerings it's a bit difference in flavors. It's a solid for choice for kids or someone not looking to eat heavy, but it's something that I would skip for a sandwich. Good, but there are much better options. 5/5 - Split-Pea Soup: I can't say that I've ever had split pea soup, but for a first time it was really good. It was creamy, had a slight chunkiness too it, with a nice blend of herbs and spices that made it very good. I was surprised by how much I liked it. It was a very good soup - and to that point all of its rotating soups have been very flavorful. The arepas themselves are a perfect gluten free (gf) alternative to bread, so those with a gluten allergy can confidently come here trusting that they'll enjoy the food. Aside from the delicious food, M&B is a solid place for a relaxed bite of food, especially on a sunny day, with its indoor and outdoor seating options. It has a subtle Latin vibe which just makes it that more enjoyable. It's my favorite casual, fun, spot to eat in Edmonds. The staff is extremely nice, and always has been. They make it easy to come back and try different foods and drinks. The drinks rotate, so there's always something new and exciting to try on tap. This is the perfect spot for a casual bite, date night, or just a fun spot in general for singles, couples, and small groups alike.

On the advice of neighbors, we decided to try Maize & Barley on a lovely Thursday afternoon. We were the only patrons there, and we each had a sandwhich... me the beef and Ky the eggplant. Both are unorthodox (as another yelper said) but delicious. I find myself resisting a 5 star review here, because everything just feels a little bit off, both the menu and the space and the staff behind the counter... and I can't really put my finger on it but I don't feel at all inspired to come back. Definitely give it a try if you're in the area, because it's really solid, but you won't be blown away, which is perfectly fine.

Great atmosphere and nice rotating beer selection. Didn't try the food, but menu looks good

The 6 of us merged on a hot summer day at Maize & Barley at 6:30. We took a corner table & ordered at the bar. The bartender/waiter was nice and accommodating. You grab your own glass of water at the dispenser. Yes, you must line it up with the nozzle. I had Quinoa Salad. It could use a flavor punch. Be warned the salmon is still growing up. My husband had a tasty pork Cubano sandwich. Our group has enjoyed a meal at 10 restaurants in past 10 weeks in Edmonds. Some tough competition for M & B.

Liked the place. Indoor communal seating area. Also outdoor sitting. Tried the jerk split pea, which was delicious. Ordered some arepas to dip in soup. They were tasty. Also ordered the braised beef and the Cubano sandwich. I preferred the Cubano sandwich better. They were both good sandwiches but the Cubano had great flavor and easier to eat. Service was great. Guy was really helpful and attentive.

I love this place! For Edmonds, prices are reasonable and the food is fresh and tasty. I usually get the Cuban and a side of potatoes. Service is always great as well -- attentive, fun, sometimes even bantery. And if you like beer, they have that, too. Bottom line: If I become a regular anywhere, it will be here.

We found this place after the art walk in Edmonds, and I'm looking forward to going back. Both the chicken soup and the meat sandwich (Midnight Cuban) were overflowing with big chunks of meat, and great flavor. The coconut pudding with cherries was interesting, but not stunning. Also not too sweet, which worked for me.Great selection of beers on tap. Comfortable venue inside, and very nice sidewalk seating outside as well. The staff person working at night was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.

I've been here a few times now and I'm writing because they have kind customer service, delicious bee, and the best Cubano sandwich for $15. The meat melts in your mouth, which is sandwiched between two pieces of a homemade crunchy bun. There are 4 hot sauces you can add too. I liked two of them but be ready for some spice! Beware it doesn't come with any sides. We had a hoppy ipa and a sour. I'd go back on a sunny day relaxing with a beer on the patio any day! Also note, it's a small restaurant and dogs aren't allowed.

With an ever changing menu, I returned with a friend for lunch. This Cubanesque hole in the wall continues to produce a rather unorthodox menu of for the most part vegetarian, fresh and clean, dishes. I've been to the vast majority of the spoons, forks, knives, chop sticks, and hand to mouth restaurants in the bowl, railroad tie-ins, and I don't believe there is anything like this. Here is my take out (even though this time,I dined in):This isn't really my palate's genre. I don't usually eat from this type of menu. So, truthfully, I may not be the best person to review this place. Yet, maybe I am. For both times it was rather empty, sorta like Mariner Game back in ... well, pretty much every typical "maybe next year" year. Then, again, maybe this actually qualifies me a very good reviewer. I am not sure the Edmonds crowd is ready for such a menu. My advice is to do a few things to spice it up. Again, I think they were going for a Cuban feel. If so, I would push it. I would have Cuban music playing. I'd add plants, props (Cuban themed coasters) images of Cuban (coastline photos) and come up with a Cuban color palette (based on their flag) to accent and attract. The music would turn heads, if done well, the right direction and for all the right reasons. It is not enough to serve great food down in Edmonds. Too many restaurants do that already. People come for experience much more than an experiment) especially at these prices which seemed to have rocketed into a galaxy higher than the interest rates on a maxed out credit card statement.So make it fun. Maybe articles in the food, Cuban trivia, or a top 20 lids you know list about your restaurant to bridge the patrons to the plates while awaiting the entries.For the food for me was much more of an expedient and experience. I had the pickled applizer, homemade soda, and I reordered the Midnight Miami. Simply from the two photos I posted of ordering it the first time and this time, it was almost like an entirely different sandwiches. This time, it was very moist, like the first time, which made it awesome. However it had a burnt, charcoal after-taste, that I don't remember having the first time. This was a bit disappointing to say the lease. This is unavoidable, as to eventually you need to swallow the bites. I would eat what I ate again. Agsin, it isn't my go-to or fallback option. I'm not sure I would pay as much as I did on a typical day strolling through Edmonds. It wasn't overpriced. It seemed fair and in-line with the Ed-Bowl market. My dollars usually pride themselves of being savvy and I think they'd rather flex in other tills.

Amazing unique menu that changes often. We had the white bean soup, arepa con queso and papas with lemon aioli. They were all amazing and the aioli was some of the best I've ever had. Reasonable prices. Big beer list and delicious food. Can't recommend enough!