This has been a great dojo for our kid - Sensei Eric is amazing with the kids. Definitely recommend. read more

We've been training for about a year now and have nothing but great things to say about Karate West. Staff is amazing, scheduling is easy with multiple classes and the ability to switch between class times if needed to accommodate life's challenges. Recommend this to anyone who asks read more

My child has been going to Karate west for almost 3-4 years now since it's almost the only karate place here in issaquah. Karate west used to be an awesome place at one time but for the last 1 year, things have changed a lot. The new receptionist (Devon) is super arrogant & rude and does not answer to parents' questions properly. Instructors keep changing or quitting and many of us are stuck due to 7 or 11 months contract. It's very disappointed to see not so good changes. As soon as my child is done with the contact, we are bidding goodbye & finding a better place. After giving so much money to this place, I am so disappointed with the way they treat their clients! Shame! read more

My son has had a wonderful experience here, he's was in the tiny tigers class for through summer and has really enjoyed the classes. Great teachers and staff. I really like how they work on confidence and teaching the kids good and a positive attitude. Would highly recommend them to anyone looking! read more

I've been part of Karate West my whole life. I attribute much of who I am as a person to the life skills I learned growing up in the Karate West family. Their programs really give young children an edge on maturity and goal setting and follow through. In addition, confidence, compassion, determination, focus, sense of personal awareness, commitment... these are a handful of important life skills taught by the wonderful teachers. I began training at KW when I was 3 years old (still in diapers), and trained until college. Now, at 26, I am thinking ahead to the day I have my own children... they will absolutely train at Karate West! A+++! read more

This is a mixed review. One of our experiences with one particular teacher was ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE and that's what I'll start with. But know that I did give it 4 stars so not all teachers are bad. My son is in the Tiny Tigers group (he's 3) and during one of the circuits, he kept cutting in front of other kids for a turn on the trampoline (but others would cut in front of him to crawl through a cube) and the instructor would stop him to wait for his turn. I thought that was fine even though she wasn't paying attention to the other stations in the circuit where others were cutting. Whatever! The problem came up when she picked up my 3 yr old by the armpits and held him to her face and scolded him for not waiting for his turn. She even said something like 'that's the last time you do that, ok?' in a harsh way. YOU DO NOT PICK MY KID UP BY THE ARMPITS AND SCOLD HIM! All the other teachers get down to the kids level and do this. I appreciate that the teachers are firm/stern but that crossed a line. Had she done this in a school environment, I'm sure there would have been disciplinary action. Plus, there were other things she did during that class that were absolutely rude and insulting to me and my child. I complained about this and changed classes but I still see her and she didn't even acknowledge my existence in class let alone apologize (at this point if she does apologize it will only be bc of this review bc I don't think she thinks she did anything wrong). Now for the good - Ginni, Lisa and Amy are the other 3 teachers my son has had a chance to learn from. They are AMAZING with kids. They are fun but still firm and actually seem to LIKE what they do - I can't say enough great things about them! If a kid is running a bit wild, they will get down to the kids level and explain firmly that they need to stop doing xyz. Plus, I watched them be much more helpful to the kids who were struggling with different activities. They would slow down the pace if the majority of the kids weren't catching on. Some of the activities/exercises include breaking boards with their hands and their knees, nunchuck skills (don't worry, they're foam), story time with great morals, and practicing different hand and leg kicks. They make all of this fun bc they have instruction and then have circuits the kids go through with fun music playing in the background to practice their skills. Overall, my kid usually has a lot of fun during class and I'm still glad I made the 6 month investment. read more

Awesome staff. They always make me feel at home at Karate West. You know it's quality when the front desk knows your name. Facility is very clean and well kept. Massive space so I never feel crowded. I found it's an engaging way to stay fit and actually learn some things. I recommend this dojo to anyone in the area looking for a good work out or a little more structure in their lives. Especially for kids! They look too cute in the uniforms. read more

Great place to learn some disciplines for kids and some martial art technic. Sensei A and Sensei K are fantastic teachers, the place equipped with good facility as well. Our son enjoys going to this centre. read more

My daughter has been going here for almost 4 years and just loves it. They staff and office people are all outstanding. In addition to karate, they teach kids the virtues of good character and academics. When we have a scheduling conflict, they are so accommodating and have always allowed us to make up a class. We no longer live in Issaquah but my daughter refuses to go anywhere else read more

Our son has been attending Karate West for over four years and we've been very impressed by the program with it's focus on life skills as well as physical development. The classes are age appropriate and appeal to a wide variety of students. read more

I started looking for a martial arts school for my son when he was 5 years old. After visiting a number of schools in the area, I settled on Karate West. At first, I sat with the other parents and watched while my son attended class. Then I started watching one of the adult classes. They were having as much fun as the kids. So I enrolled. That was 18 years ago. As big as Karate West is, the staff are carefully chosen. They demonstrate outstanding people skills and teaching ability. They're trained and mentored to provide a high quality learning experience for students of all ages. I can't imaging training anywhere else. read more

I have had 2 of my children go all the way through to Blackbelt at Karate West. It has made an incredible impact in their lives. It has taught them respect, discipline, hard work and grit. I appreciate that Karate West sets a high standard and doesn't move the bar or make exceptions. It is awesome to see what your child can do when they rise to meet those expectations. Karate West has shown my children that they can go beyond what they believed in themselves, a priceless gift for any child. read more

My son has been going there for over 4 years and he just love it. Also we love it too.the teacher and the staff are always outstanding and very friendly. They are not only teaching the Karate technics, also teaching the life lessons such as respect your parents, how to protect yourself from strangers and how to deal with bullying at the school. My son learns a lot here which they will impact his life forever. Definitely recommend them. They are the best! read more

I went to karate west for 13 years and ended up having to leave due to bullying (cyber bullying, gossiping/rumor spreading, and even physical violence towards me). When I informed those in charge they basically shrugged their shoulders at me and said "not my problem" after having 4/5 of my family members train there and 13 years of my own time personally invested in this school their response to what was going on really hurt. Although since the main person who was bullying me is the kid of a teacher there (and a teacher themselves) I guess that makes sense. Apparently their reputation is more valuable than my worth as a person. After I started having panic attacks about going here I decided to leave rather than let what was happening continue- I am so much happier now that I'm gone. read more

Best martial art school in the state... Period. Great staff, beautiful facilities and hard working fun environment.

The large group of qualified instructors, encouragement from staff, members, and students has helped with Ashton's karate school transition. The attention and interest in this transition from Sensei Ken's thorough evaluation of his level and abilities, Sensei Jeff's patient and detailed instruction, and Lisa and Astrid at the front desk to take the time , each time, to explain the inner workings of Karate West, is professional, accurate, and welcoming. Ashton is testing this week and is even attending Karate camp in Ellensburg, speaks to his comfort and confidence with Karate West. Thank you. read more

This place has been fantastic for my KG and 6th grader. The front desk staff Lisa has been amazing. She answers my weird but wonderful questions/concerns/comments with a smile and is always helpful. When we were considering karate for the girls Lisa never pressured us into signing up. Sensei Cicilia and Ali are fantastic! They teach karate in a fun, caring yet disciplined manner. In addition they go beyond karate by teaching social skills, health and safety. They seem to know their students personality. One of my girls is sensitive and I see they dnt baby her but do encourage her in a positive way. My girls have never missed a karate session, because they are always excited to go. We joined in September and my eldest is already figuring out when she's getting her black belt.... enough of me rambling...if you are considering karate go do a trial class and you won't be disappointed. And a big plus point the dojo doesn't smell of feet!! :)) read more