BIZNOTE: Phoenecia announces it’s closing at year’s end and looking for someplace new

Just received from Nadia Khazaal – her family has announced that their acclaimed Alki restaurant Phoenecia will close in two months but is hoping to reopen at a new location, preferably in The Junction. Here’s the announcement in its entirety:

Dear West Seattle Community,

After 25 amazing years on Alki, the Phoenecia family is deeply sad to announce that we must soon close our doors. Our landlords have decided to sell the building to developers, due to some very expensive but necessary building upgrades.

Rather than dwell on sadness, we have chosen to revel in gratitude for the last 25 years of support from our many friends in West Seattle and beyond.

Because it is not over yet…

Many of you remember our late father Hussein Khazaal, who opened Phoenecia in the West Seattle Junction in the early 1970s, not long after moving here from Lebanon. Our father’s love of food, community, and family was the foundation that helped him persevere through countless obstacles—including those that come with running a successful restaurant, as well as two location moves—the last of which brought us these many wonderful years on Alki.

Drawing from his example, we too have decided to persevere. It may take us a while to find the perfect location, but with a little luck, we hope to come full circle and return to the neighborhood where Phoenecia first began: the West Seattle Junction.

Something special just for you…

In honor and memory of our father’s passion, generosity, and perseverance, we would like to offer the following gifts from our family to yours, during the next 9 weeks:
Sundays – half price bottles of our house red wine all day long
Mondays – purchase one bottle of wine, get your second bottle for half price Tuesdays – purchase Mama’s Lamb Shank entrée, get one complimentary pizza Wednesday – purchase any bottle of wine, get one complimentary pizza
Every Day – 30% discount for take-out bottles of wine

Our last day of service will be Monday the 24th — Christmas Eve — with a celebration of gratitude, great food, wine, and the community we love. Be sure to make your reservations soon, as you know how limited our space is.

We look forward to seeing you all over the next 9 weeks. Although we are sad to say goodbye to Alki, we look forward to what the future has in store for Phoenecia.

For updates, follow us on:
Instagram: @phoeneciawestseattle Facebook: @phoeneciarestaurantwestseattle

With love and gratitude, The Khazaal Family

We’ve checked the files and there’s nothing on record yet regarding a development proposal for, or sale of, the building, where Phoenecia’s longtime neighbor Alki Cleaners closed in July, one of a lengthening list of Alki closures.

37 Replies to "BIZNOTE: Phoenecia announces it's closing at year's end and looking for someplace new"

  • clamdigger October 24, 2018 (1:29 pm)

    Would love to see them in the Junction, though a little sad to have one less reason to visit Alki (and a major one at that).

  • onion October 24, 2018 (1:39 pm)

    Very sad news for Alki, and the rest of West Seattle. Thank you to the Khazaals for being the wonderful hosts that they are. I hope they find a great location with a bit more space, although there is no location that can equal being on the beach.
    On a side note, I have heard rumors that Pegasus might also be leaving Alki. Although West Seattle is not short of pizza places, their Tom’s Special is truly special.

  • wscommuter October 24, 2018 (3:24 pm)

    I have feared that this day would come once Alki Cleaners was forced out. We have joyfully patronized Phoenicia for years and the Alki community will be worse for the loss of this wonderful restaurant and the Khazaal family … they always welcomed us like family and made it feel like much more than just another restaurant.
    Best wishes to them – hope it works for them to re-open, but Alki won’t be the same without them.

  • kumalavula October 24, 2018 (3:31 pm)

    phonecia is what it is because of this family. i still recall the heaps of flowers and condolence messages left at the restaurant door after hussein passed away.
    the love you’ve shown this community through your food and grace will handily be returned as i know many west seattleites will follow you wherever the next incarnation of the restaurant lands.
    thank you for setting the dining standard high and for welcoming so many of us to your tables over the years! phonecia is a west seattle gem, regardless of location!!

  • Doug October 24, 2018 (3:31 pm)

    Sad to see them leave Alki, but happy they are looking to move back to the Junction. Hussein’s kindness left a lasting impression on us, and we have been coming back ever since then. Look forward to their new location.

  • Heather October 24, 2018 (3:53 pm)

    Such delicious food!! I hope you’re able to find another location in West Seattle as I love your restaurant.

  • Allison October 24, 2018 (4:11 pm)

    We always have such a wonderful experience at Phoenecia–delicious food, unlike anything else we can get in West Seattle, and wonderful hospitality. I just love their baba ganoush–made in house! Here’s hoping they can find a new space. I’ll be one of the first in line if they do!

  • A October 24, 2018 (4:17 pm)

    From what I’ve heard, Alki Property Management owns multiple blocks on this stretch of Alki and they are selling to developers who are going to build mega apartments. Say goodbye to Spuds and any business on that block as well as the businesses that share the block with Phoenecia. Would love to complain about them selling but can’t imagine how much they are being paid for this real estate. If you think Alki sucks now in the summer with the crowds, just imagine having no restaurant options and 1,000+ more people living down there. RIP Alki, you will soon be dead to me

    • WSB October 24, 2018 (5:10 pm)

      Please see the online King County Assessor’s Office records regarding ownership and zoning.

      Alki Property Management is listed as owning the building it’s housed in; otherwise, lots of different names.

      If by “mega apartments” you are concerned about something taller than what’s there now, the area is not zoned for that. Zoning is NC-1 30 or LR 3 along those blocks of Alki- that’s three stories. If HALA MHA passes, a fourth.
      http://seattlecitygis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=b0167cf4e63149e3b891307a41a639e5

      The midrise-height zoning (which is what the Alki condo zone along Duwamish Head is) does not start until quite some blocks east.

  • gh October 24, 2018 (4:21 pm)

    I ate there the first year they opened and have returned many times since; great food and great people. Glad that they are trying to find a new location, but West Seattle seems to be losing its soul piece by piece.

  • Mark Schletty October 24, 2018 (4:46 pm)

    Selling to “developers”? That scares me. I sure hope we aren’t going to start losing our great beach restaurant/bar commercial area to apartments and condos. Phoenicia has been a great little gem for our Alki area. Its loss will be greatly felt by many of us. But if it gets replaced with apartments instead of a restaurant the loss will be much much worse.

  • Keri October 24, 2018 (5:01 pm)

    Really sad to read this, our absolute favorite restaurant in the city, all the more fortunate to have it in our neighborhood. We will see you over the next 9 weeks, definitely stopping by for a bottle of Chateau Musar, double digit tapas plates and the most welcoming family in West Seattle.

  • cjboffoli October 24, 2018 (5:12 pm)

    The standard of (completely genuine) hospitality demonstrated by Hussein Khazaal routinely bested that of just about every other Seattle restaurant, including some of much higher price points. He would be so proud that his family has continued to honor his legacy. Hopefully it will live on at a new location.

  • Karen White October 24, 2018 (5:51 pm)

    We frequently walked to the Phoenecia when it was in the Junction all those many years ago. When Hussein said he was bringing “something special” to the table we knew it would be. I do hope there will be another Junction space for the Khazaals, we need them here.

  • Morgan October 24, 2018 (6:56 pm)

    Was just there on Monday night and learned the sad news, but we had a great dinner! Looking forward to enjoying them as much as possible before the Alki spot closes, and here’s hoping they find a good spot in the Alaska Junction. If you haven’t tried it yet, get the fig pizza!

  • M October 24, 2018 (7:34 pm)

    Move down to the Morgan Junction please.

    • Sarge October 25, 2018 (7:56 am)

      Yes! Yes! Yes!

    • AT October 25, 2018 (8:40 am)

      Speaking of Morgan Junction, what’s up with the Kokoras space these days?  Is the sushi restaurant even open?   I wonder if Phoenicia could do well in that space …

      • WSB October 25, 2018 (8:52 am)

        No, hasn’t been open for months and no sign of work.

    • momof3boys October 25, 2018 (8:52 am)

      YES! We have an open, albeit small, spot where Kokoras used to be.  And I’m sure there are others!  #morganjunction

  • DC October 24, 2018 (8:03 pm)

    Ask about the spot that has been slated to be The Hydrant on California… the owner of the adjacent pet store has also leased this spot but there hasn’t been progress for three years.

    • Morgan October 25, 2018 (12:52 pm)

      That’s a good thought. Or perhaps the Fresh Bistro spot that closed back in May. 

  • Rb October 24, 2018 (9:44 pm)

    I am sorry to hear the news. However, I hope they would NOT move to the Alaska junction. There are already so many restaurants there. I wonder if back in the days when they opened the original location, there were so many choices. Maybe Westwood village?

  • Alki to Burien October 24, 2018 (11:12 pm)

    We recently moved from Alki to Burien, Burien is a happening place these days… would love to be able to walk to Pheonecia again! Our fav restaurant in the city!

    • steph October 25, 2018 (11:30 am)

      This!  We did the same 4 years ago.  I hope the owners read this and consider Burien!

  • Elton October 24, 2018 (11:25 pm)

    Just wanted to +1 everyone sad about this news – Phoenicia has been our favorite restaurant in West Seattle since we discovered it two years ago – the food quality is consistent and the wait staff are always so friendly and genuine. While it will be sad to not have the view on Alki, I hope that they do re-open somewhere else in the area.

  • Patrick October 25, 2018 (4:57 am)

    With 6 vacancies on Alki, what would the Alki community support? How about a soup, salad and sandwich shop?

  • David October 25, 2018 (7:51 am)

    I hope they reopen in the area. It’s sad when things change. But…the only constant in the universe is change. We don’t live in a museum, it’s a growing shifting city. 200 years ago this was all old growth forest. We then cut down all those hundred(s) year old trees to build our beloved restaurants and bike paths we guard so jealous now. The the apt buildings and houses WE live in are just fine, but the NEW one are TOO big or TOO dense or not dense enough. Change happens, this city has changed year after year from logging outpost, to gold rush town, to rough industrial city, to high tech center. It will continue changing. And Alki isn’t immune from that change. I still miss the NY Deli (now the Alki Beach Pup). Was it REALLY that good? I don’t know, but I have fond memories of eating their. But as long as the city grows/changes, and we have free market private property, stuff we like will change whether we like it or not. We CAN control zoning for general size density. But nothing I can do to bring back the “all you can eat fried chicken” version of Homestead, I just hope the new owners/restaurant create memories for the new customers like I have of the old place…and in 25 years THOSE customers will fondly remember their version of Homestead (as an Italian restaurant) and bemone it changing to yet something else.

    • KM October 25, 2018 (12:04 pm)

      Comment of the year?

  • Michael Waldo October 25, 2018 (10:44 am)

    If apartments go up, I wouldn’t be concerned about losing retail space. All the apartments I see going up all have retail on the main floor. That used to be code. Not sure if it still is.

  • Michael Waldo October 25, 2018 (10:46 am)

    And I live in Arbor Heights. We mostly go to Burien for dining now. Great places opening up and there is usually parking. 152st is now restaurant row.

  • Nancy R. October 26, 2018 (8:35 am)

    Please come to the North Admiral junction!

  • JVP October 26, 2018 (11:05 am)

    Bummer, that was the best restaurant on Alki, by far.  Really the only good restaurant.  Loved going down there in the off season or maybe on a summer weekday. We’re not regulars by any means, but they always remembered us and welcomed us.  I hope they can find another spot with the same cozy charm, and can thrive. Best of luck!

  • dunnkld October 26, 2018 (3:26 pm)

    Vacancies on Alki: Maree French Restaurant, Mini Market, Sushi Samurai, Alki Dry Cleaners, Tully’s and now Phoenecia. It will be feeling like a ghost town down here. I’d like to see a business model like Beveridge Place Pub open up (lots of dog owners in Alki) but I wonder if it would pencil out with the high rents.

  • DUNNKLD October 30, 2018 (12:53 pm)

    I forgot to include Saigon Pho is now closed, too.

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