Thank you so much to Kim Holcomb and team at KING 5 Evening for featuring The Box & Burgers Eatery and for sharing our story! We are truly grateful and feel so blessed for all the support from customers and staff that has brought us to where we are today. 
KIRKLAND, Wash. — EDITOR’S NOTE: This segment originally aired prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of Yelp’s 100 Top Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2020 is a hidden gem in Kirkland.
Box and Burgers Eatery is inside the Totem Hill Plaza, tucked between a sandwich shop and a travel agency. Prices range from $3 – $15.
But don’t let the cost or ordinary location fool you – the restaurant serves an Asian/Hawaiian fusion menu that resembles fine dining.
“I just want people to enjoy it, but not have to empty out their wallet,” said owner Reis Llaneza.
His background is in refined cuisine. But when it came time to launch his own restaurant, Llaneza told his wife and friends he wanted to start small.
“All I said was I wanted a box with cooking equipment in it. And they’re like, ‘that’s a food truck!'” he said.
Aptly named “The Box,” the truck served Llaneza’s unique take on the dishes he grew up eating.