Gig Harbor Fish & Chips Stand Reopens for Final Season

If you spend time along the Gig Harbor waterfront, one of the area’s most recognizable food spots is back for the season, but this year comes with a bittersweet update.

Marketplace Grille, the cherry-red fish and chips stand operating out of a converted trolley near the Gig Harbor Marina, has officially reopened.

However, the 2026 season will be the final one under its current owners.

🚋 A Waterfront Landmark

The small trolley stand has become a familiar sight for anyone walking down toward the marina.

Owned and operated by Richard and Carlene Lai Fook, Marketplace Grille has been serving locals and visitors for years after relocating from its original brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Finholm District.

The unique setting, a vintage trolley converted into a takeout kitchen — has helped make it one of the more memorable food stops along the harbor.

🍤 What’s on the Menu

Marketplace Grille has built its reputation on classic seaside comfort food, including:

• Fresh fish and chips

• Clam chowder

• Sandwiches and seafood plates

• Caribbean-inspired options like jerk pork and coconut prawns

Everything on the menu is made from scratch, something the owners have emphasized throughout their 25 years in business.

For many visitors, grabbing a basket of fish and chips and sitting at the nearby waterfront picnic tables has become part of the Gig Harbor experience.

📅 The Final Chapter

While the stand is open for the 2026 season, owners say this will be their last year operating the business.

No official announcement has been made about what might happen with the trolley location after that, but for longtime customers, this season will be the last chance to enjoy the stand under the Lai Fooks’ ownership.

It’s another reminder of how small, family-run waterfront businesses often become deeply tied to a community over time.

🌊 Why It Matters

Places like Marketplace Grille represent the kind of local character that shapes waterfront towns like Gig Harbor.

As ownership changes and the region continues to grow, long-standing businesses like this become part of the local story, especially when they’ve served the community for decades.

For fans of the stand, this season is both a return to tradition and a chance to say goodbye.

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