Minamoto Japanese Cuisine
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I came to Minamoto with a couple of friends to try it for the first time, and overall we all felt it was just okay. The ambiance is nice--dimly lit and modern--but both the food and service fell short for the price point. I ordered the sushi sandwich roll with spicy tuna, and it tasted unusually fishy. I've had spicy tuna at many places, including more casual and less expensive spots, and this one really caught me off guard. I ended up using a lot of ginger and wasabi just to mask the flavor. The miso soup was also disappointing--the wooden spoon tasted strongly of what seemed like cleaning solution, as if it hadn't been fully rinsed. I had to drink the soup without using the spoon because of the chemical taste. The service was also strange. We ordered a shared appetizer and three rolls, but the rolls came out one at a time with about 20-30 minutes between each. When we asked about the missing roll, the server simply pointed toward the sushi counter and said it was coming, which felt off-putting. Since each of us ordered one roll, we expected them to arrive together, or at least for the situation to be communicated more clearly.
Minamoto canceled my Uber order at the last minute. I placed my order at 9:13 pm. I eagerly waited for 45 minutes, only with a bitter end. I will never use this place or recommend it to my friends anymore. Goodbye, and good luck with your business, Minamoto.
My friend and I went to Minamoto for our work lunch break on a sunny Friday afternoon. This was our first time trying Minamoto, but my friend had heard positive raves about Minamoto from an acquaintance and so we thus ventured out to Downtown Bellevue to give them a try. Minamoto is open for both lunch and dinner on weekdays and weekends. They have affordable weekday lunch specials (as far as Japanese food goes), ranging anywhere from $14 for three sushi rolls to $28 for a chirashi. They also have a variety of appetizers like fried calamari, chicken karaage, and takoyaki and a wide selection of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverage choices. My friend and I each ordered a WEEKDAY LUNCH SPECIAL CHIRASHI ($28) which came with a 4-piece side roll (salmon or tuna) and choice of soup or salad. I went with the salmon roll and salad and my friend went with salmon roll and miso soup. The WEEKDAY LUNCH SPECIAL CHIRASHI was a lot larger than I had expected and came with a lot more ingredients than usual. I was especially surprised to see pieces of uni (sea urchin) and spheres of Ikura (salmon roe) in the dish as those are usually reserved as premium ingredients. Besides the Ikura and uni, the dish had a mountain of chopped salmon, tuna, white fish, cucumber, sweet egg (tamago), and edamame on top of a bed of perfectly cooked sushi rice topped with microgreens. All the different fish were fresh and flavorful, and I especially enjoyed the uni which is a rare delicacy for me. With that said, I found the white fish (which I think was hamachi) unpleasantly fatty and gelatinous in texture. I felt like I was just eating cubes of solid fat which were not to my palate. Since the chirashi was rich from the uni and Ikura already, these fatty pieces were overkill, even with the light veggies to balance out the dish. My only other comment is that I would've preferred larger pieces of fish instead of chopped off pieces of fish. However, popular places like Gyudon in Westlake also do chopped up fish on top of rice for their chirashi and so I think it's just personal preference. The complimentary side salad was excellent and had a fantastic ginger dressing on top of fresh greens. The salmon roll was also good, but nothing out of the ordinary. With the amount of food they give, I could barely finish the chirashi bowl much less the salmon roll. As far as atmosphere, the interior is modern, trendy, and clean. The owners and stuff must be Swifties because all they played was Taylor Swift throughout our entire meal which was a vibe. Service was decent and we got our food within 15min after ordering. In terms of parking, Minamoto is located underneath an apartment complex and shares a parking lot with the apartment building and other stores. They will validate for up to 2 hours of free parking so make sure you bring the parking slip with you into the restaurant! Overall: 4/5 for for food, 4/5 for service, 4/5 for atmosphere
Minamoto is great! Lovely setting, great service. They have a fantastic Japanese whiskey menu which was exciting to see, and some very cool sakes. The nigiri omakase was delicious and came with miso soup. The shishito peppers were some of my favorite ever. Perfectly cooked with salt and lemon. We hope to come back for the omakase at the sushi bar.
so glad that I finally was able to stop by and try minamoto. We came for my boyfriend's birthday and the ambience was absolutely perfect. It's an amazing location with beautiful interior and the lighting isn't too dim for you to see what you're eating. We ordered the perfect amount of food (we're big eaters) and the highlight was definitely the sashimi platter. Just look at it! absolutely beautiful and it was my first time having fish that was chilled to perfection like this. The food arrived super quickly, and I have no complaints. I will be coming back to celebrate other family members' birthdays in the future too. they do not do special birthday celebration items like desserts, but it's still a great place to take your next event!
The ambience is classy perfect for guests but friendly and casual for families. The food is amazing and authentic. Starts off with Agedashi Tofu - silky smooth tofu with tsuyu sauce. And Seafood Carpaccio that comes with assorted fresh fish (uncooked) with house yuzu sauce. We also ordered Crispy Jumbo Softshell Crab as an appetizer. Our main dishes are the Nigiri and Sashimi Combo and Beef Gyudon. Our wait staff is very friendly and attentive.
Very positive first visit to Minamoto for a late lunch on a Sunday. The dining room is beautiful and very comfortable with large tables that are well-spaced apart. There is a wide range of dishes on the menu, and we started off with the crab miso soup and chawanmushi. The crab miso soup was full of umami and the chawanmushi was very flavorful as well especially with some nice mushroom notes. We moved on to sushi, and while the selection of fish is not as great as some other spots, the quality of the fish and rice were top notch. The presentation of the saba was very unique and had a more smoked flavor to it which was nice. The amaebi head was also fried very lightly and perfect. We also tried one roll, the fantastic roll, which was a little pricey but very loaded with fish. We also had the grilled Hamachi-kama which was really good - grilled perfectly and not burned. Sake selection was better than average and we tried two very solid ones. They had a very extensive Japanese whiskey list, which we didn't try. Service was very good, being attentive but not hovering. Minamoto does run a little pricier than usual, but is well worth it if you are looking for good sushi and more in a luxurious space.
For me, good sushi starts with buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sashimi that doesn't taste fishy at all and shines without any sauces. I always test a new sushi spot by ordering sashimi--it's my ultimate fish freshness check! The in-person dining experience was fantastic--amazing food, good service, and a great atmosphere. However, the next day, I decided to order via DoorDash, and things got a bit tricky. DoorDash doesn't have an option for adding notes about dietary restrictions, so I called the restaurant right after placing my order to make sure my food would be gluten-free. The gentleman I spoke with wasn't exactly thrilled. He told me I should've called "right away" (which I had!) and pointed out that I could add notes if I used Uber Eats instead. While he eventually agreed to accommodate my request, the whole interaction left me feeling a bit uneasy--when it comes to allergies, I don't like to take chances! So, I placed a fresh order on Uber Eats just to be safe. Lesson learned: I'll stick to dining in or using Uber Eats for this spot. The food is too good to give up, but I'd rather avoid the stress. So yes, I'll definitely be back--just with a little extra planning next time!
My boyfriend and I were here for the first time to celebrate our 4 year anniversary. The interior of the restaurant was very clean and beautiful. Service was great. Food was good and you could tell the fish quality was good as well. Food was very pricey for small to decent size portions. Wouldn't come here for casual dining. Informed staff about our special celebratory anniversary dinner and seems like restaurant doesn't do anything special to acknowledge it. Unfortunately for future occasions, we probably would not come back here.
If you are looking for sushi, this place is expensive kind of sushi place. But the overall food quality is good, service is good, and free parking. If you want to have great price, maybe order rolls or rice pot. Not an everyday sushi place, but will definitely come back. ( Still a little bit pricey.)
Food: 10/10, service: 10/10, ambiance: 10/10 Definitely recommend this place! Parking is easy because the restaurant is located in the same building as an Apartment complex, they validate parking. All the food was amazing and fairly priced, service was great too and environment seemed clean. Presentation of all the food items was also amazing, so much detail.
A very professionally run restaurant! Quick and attentive service, and the food was incredibly fresh and came out instantly. My water was refilled several times, and they checked on me often. The ambiance is calming and refined, great for business meals or formal dinners. They have a reasonably-priced lunch menu - I got the chirashi ($28) which came with a surprise 4-piece tekka maki! Looking forward to coming back to eat my way through their menu!
Mid-sized upscale Japanese restaurant near the eastern edge of downtown Bellevue. It's on the first floor of the Alley 111 building. The restaurant validate parking for the building garage. Interior is very modern, a bit fancy looking. Ended up being about half full for a weeknight. Menu has a variety of Japanese cuisine items, up to an omakase that you have book a few days ahead. I ended up getting the king crab miso soup, wagyu fried rice and the nigiri and sashimi combo. The miso soup tasted decent, and has a few pieces of crab. The fried rice was pretty good in that it's dry enough, although you don't get that much wagyu beef in it. The wagyu is in small pieces, so you don't really appreciate its texture. The nigiri and sashimi combo was the highlight, especially due to the presentation. It's on a a platter on top of a bowl of ice. There's 5 pieces of nigiri, 4 types of sashimi with each having 2 slices, and a few pieces of a sushi roll. Tasted fresh. Also tried some of the different rolls that others at the table ordered. They have a variety of rolls with some interesting combinations. The rolls are pricey but the serving is sizable. Overall food was good, presentation and service were excellent. Ended up being $100+ per person, but it was a work dinner so I didn't have to pay for it, which makes it better.
4 months ago
Welcome to my tuna-verse We called 1-2hrs prior on a Saturday night and was seated quickly. Service and ambiance were great. Good for a date or group. The fresh fish was good however the sushi rice failed us; it was on the dry side. . Agedashi Tofu- slight crunchy and mochi texture outside and silky smooth tofu inside. I could dip anything in that sauce . Grilled Hamachi Kama- so good! light, tender, refreshing, perfectly cooked . Wagyu fried rice- not bad, a bit underwhelming but was something to get us full. Need some green in this dish Don't forget to validate your parking ticket! read more
The ambience of the restaurant was top notch. I haven't had a chance for a nice quiet and relaxing dinner for quite a while. The decor was tasteful and the service was great. The nigiri The soup ... The grill salmon ok The fried rice was The food did not wow me but maybe I need to have more sushi to be sure. The ambience and the quality service bequest me to return again. read more
10 months ago
I came to Minamoto with a couple of friends to try it for the first time, and overall we all felt it was just okay. The ambiance is nice--dimly lit and modern--but both the food and service fell short for the price point. I ordered the sushi sandwich roll with spicy tuna, and it tasted unusually fishy. I've had spicy tuna at many places, including more casual and less expensive spots, and this one really caught me off guard. I ended up using a lot of ginger and wasabi just to mask the flavor. The miso soup was also disappointing--the wooden spoon tasted strongly of what seemed like cleaning solution, as if it hadn't been fully rinsed. I had to drink the soup without using the spoon because of the chemical taste. The service was also strange. We ordered a shared appetizer and three rolls, but the rolls came out one at a time with about 20-30 minutes between each. When we asked about the missing roll, the server simply pointed toward the sushi counter and said it was coming, which felt off-putting. Since each of us ordered one roll, we expected them to arrive together, or at least for the situation to be communicated more clearly. read more
2 months ago
Minamoto canceled my Uber order at the last minute. I placed my order at 9:13 pm. I eagerly waited for 45 minutes, only with a bitter end. I will never use this place or recommend it to my friends anymore. Goodbye, and good luck with your business, Minamoto. read more
My friend and I went to Minamoto for our work lunch break on a sunny Friday afternoon. This was our first time trying Minamoto, but my friend had heard positive raves about Minamoto from an acquaintance and so we thus ventured out to Downtown Bellevue to give them a try. Minamoto is open for both lunch and dinner on weekdays and weekends. They have affordable weekday lunch specials (as far as Japanese food goes), ranging anywhere from $14 for three sushi rolls to $28 for a chirashi. They also have a variety of appetizers like fried calamari, chicken karaage, and takoyaki and a wide selection of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverage choices. My friend and I each ordered a WEEKDAY LUNCH SPECIAL CHIRASHI ($28) which came with a 4-piece side roll (salmon or tuna) and choice of soup or salad. I went with the salmon roll and salad and my friend went with salmon roll and miso soup. The WEEKDAY LUNCH SPECIAL CHIRASHI was a lot larger than I had expected and came with a lot more ingredients than usual. I was especially surprised to see pieces of uni (sea urchin) and spheres of Ikura (salmon roe) in the dish as those are usually reserved as premium ingredients. Besides the Ikura and uni, the dish had a mountain of chopped salmon, tuna, white fish, cucumber, sweet egg (tamago), and edamame on top of a bed of perfectly cooked sushi rice topped with microgreens. All the different fish were fresh and flavorful, and I especially enjoyed the uni which is a rare delicacy for me. With that said, I found the white fish (which I think was hamachi) unpleasantly fatty and gelatinous in texture. I felt like I was just eating cubes of solid fat which were not to my palate. Since the chirashi was rich from the uni and Ikura already, these fatty pieces were overkill, even with the light veggies to balance out the dish. My only other comment is that I would've preferred larger pieces of fish instead of chopped off pieces of fish. However, popular places like Gyudon in Westlake also do chopped up fish on top of rice for their chirashi and so I think it's just personal preference. The complimentary side salad was excellent and had a fantastic ginger dressing on top of fresh greens. The salmon roll was also good, but nothing out of the ordinary. With the amount of food they give, I could barely finish the chirashi bowl much less the salmon roll. As far as atmosphere, the interior is modern, trendy, and clean. The owners and stuff must be Swifties because all they played was Taylor Swift throughout our entire meal which was a vibe. Service was decent and we got our food within 15min after ordering. In terms of parking, Minamoto is located underneath an apartment complex and shares a parking lot with the apartment building and other stores. They will validate for up to 2 hours of free parking so make sure you bring the parking slip with you into the restaurant! Overall: 4/5 for for food, 4/5 for service, 4/5 for atmosphere read more
Minamoto is great! Lovely setting, great service. They have a fantastic Japanese whiskey menu which was exciting to see, and some very cool sakes. The nigiri omakase was delicious and came with miso soup. The shishito peppers were some of my favorite ever. Perfectly cooked with salt and lemon. We hope to come back for the omakase at the sushi bar. read more
so glad that I finally was able to stop by and try minamoto. We came for my boyfriend's birthday and the ambience was absolutely perfect. It's an amazing location with beautiful interior and the lighting isn't too dim for you to see what you're eating. We ordered the perfect amount of food (we're big eaters) and the highlight was definitely the sashimi platter. Just look at it! absolutely beautiful and it was my first time having fish that was chilled to perfection like this. The food arrived super quickly, and I have no complaints. I will be coming back to celebrate other family members' birthdays in the future too. they do not do special birthday celebration items like desserts, but it's still a great place to take your next event! read more
10 months ago
The ambience is classy perfect for guests but friendly and casual for families. The food is amazing and authentic. Starts off with Agedashi Tofu - silky smooth tofu with tsuyu sauce. And Seafood Carpaccio that comes with assorted fresh fish (uncooked) with house yuzu sauce. We also ordered Crispy Jumbo Softshell Crab as an appetizer. Our main dishes are the Nigiri and Sashimi Combo and Beef Gyudon. Our wait staff is very friendly and attentive. read more
Very positive first visit to Minamoto for a late lunch on a Sunday. The dining room is beautiful and very comfortable with large tables that are well-spaced apart. There is a wide range of dishes on the menu, and we started off with the crab miso soup and chawanmushi. The crab miso soup was full of umami and the chawanmushi was very flavorful as well especially with some nice mushroom notes. We moved on to sushi, and while the selection of fish is not as great as some other spots, the quality of the fish and rice were top notch. The presentation of the saba was very unique and had a more smoked flavor to it which was nice. The amaebi head was also fried very lightly and perfect. We also tried one roll, the fantastic roll, which was a little pricey but very loaded with fish. We also had the grilled Hamachi-kama which was really good - grilled perfectly and not burned. Sake selection was better than average and we tried two very solid ones. They had a very extensive Japanese whiskey list, which we didn't try. Service was very good, being attentive but not hovering. Minamoto does run a little pricier than usual, but is well worth it if you are looking for good sushi and more in a luxurious space. read more
For me, good sushi starts with buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sashimi that doesn't taste fishy at all and shines without any sauces. I always test a new sushi spot by ordering sashimi--it's my ultimate fish freshness check! The in-person dining experience was fantastic--amazing food, good service, and a great atmosphere. However, the next day, I decided to order via DoorDash, and things got a bit tricky. DoorDash doesn't have an option for adding notes about dietary restrictions, so I called the restaurant right after placing my order to make sure my food would be gluten-free. The gentleman I spoke with wasn't exactly thrilled. He told me I should've called "right away" (which I had!) and pointed out that I could add notes if I used Uber Eats instead. While he eventually agreed to accommodate my request, the whole interaction left me feeling a bit uneasy--when it comes to allergies, I don't like to take chances! So, I placed a fresh order on Uber Eats just to be safe. Lesson learned: I'll stick to dining in or using Uber Eats for this spot. The food is too good to give up, but I'd rather avoid the stress. So yes, I'll definitely be back--just with a little extra planning next time! read more
My boyfriend and I were here for the first time to celebrate our 4 year anniversary. The interior of the restaurant was very clean and beautiful. Service was great. Food was good and you could tell the fish quality was good as well. Food was very pricey for small to decent size portions. Wouldn't come here for casual dining. Informed staff about our special celebratory anniversary dinner and seems like restaurant doesn't do anything special to acknowledge it. Unfortunately for future occasions, we probably would not come back here. read more
2 years ago
If you are looking for sushi, this place is expensive kind of sushi place. But the overall food quality is good, service is good, and free parking. If you want to have great price, maybe order rolls or rice pot. Not an everyday sushi place, but will definitely come back. ( Still a little bit pricey.) read more
10 months ago
Food: 10/10, service: 10/10, ambiance: 10/10 Definitely recommend this place! Parking is easy because the restaurant is located in the same building as an Apartment complex, they validate parking. All the food was amazing and fairly priced, service was great too and environment seemed clean. Presentation of all the food items was also amazing, so much detail. read more
A very professionally run restaurant! Quick and attentive service, and the food was incredibly fresh and came out instantly. My water was refilled several times, and they checked on me often. The ambiance is calming and refined, great for business meals or formal dinners. They have a reasonably-priced lunch menu - I got the chirashi ($28) which came with a surprise 4-piece tekka maki! Looking forward to coming back to eat my way through their menu! read more
3 months ago
Mid-sized upscale Japanese restaurant near the eastern edge of downtown Bellevue. It's on the first floor of the Alley 111 building. The restaurant validate parking for the building garage. Interior is very modern, a bit fancy looking. Ended up being about half full for a weeknight. Menu has a variety of Japanese cuisine items, up to an omakase that you have book a few days ahead. I ended up getting the king crab miso soup, wagyu fried rice and the nigiri and sashimi combo. The miso soup tasted decent, and has a few pieces of crab. The fried rice was pretty good in that it's dry enough, although you don't get that much wagyu beef in it. The wagyu is in small pieces, so you don't really appreciate its texture. The nigiri and sashimi combo was the highlight, especially due to the presentation. It's on a a platter on top of a bowl of ice. There's 5 pieces of nigiri, 4 types of sashimi with each having 2 slices, and a few pieces of a sushi roll. Tasted fresh. Also tried some of the different rolls that others at the table ordered. They have a variety of rolls with some interesting combinations. The rolls are pricey but the serving is sizable. Overall food was good, presentation and service were excellent. Ended up being $100+ per person, but it was a work dinner so I didn't have to pay for it, which makes it better. read more
2 years ago
Restaurant is a little hidden but across from The Bravern in Bellevue. Food was delicious! The Wagyu Lava Stone was definitely the highlight. Thinly sliced A5 wagyu presented with a hot stone plate. You cook the meat to your liking and it just melts in your mouth. The sashimi was also really fresh and in generous thick pieces. Only knocked off a star because the service was slow. Not sure if they were just understaffed but it wasn't too busy on a Monday night and it took awhile to order and get our drinks/food. read more
We had omakase here. The food was very delicious, and the presentation was nice! The staff was friendly. The restaurant had nice interiors. We parked in the underground parking garage which they validated for 2 hrs. read more
Quality of food was top-tier. The fish is so fresh and extremely tasty. Poor rating to service. This restaurant gives off the vibe as high end, date night, and experience. I was not getting that out with the server. Server wanted to talk as little as possible. Someone in the group had a birthday, and the birthday was mentioned at a few points during the dinner service, and it was completely dismissed. read more
This has to be one of my favorite sushi places in Seattle! The ambience, service, and sushi are just amazing! Things a great place for a date night, or to celebrate something special. My favorite dish here is the wagyu negiri. It just melts in your mouth, and smoked to perfection. Absolutely the best thing you'll eat! The sushi here is also delicious, and a good portion size. I will definitely be coming back here for more on my next trip to Seattle! read more
3 years ago
Great food, great ambiance, and great service! I came here on a Thursday night without a reservation, but they were able to seat us immediately at a nice booth table. The servers and hosts and owner(?) were all so friendly to us the whole night, which made it extra special. We got the beautiful alaska roll and the shrimp tempura don, both of which were delicious. There was plenty of salmon (my favorite fish of all time) in the roll, super yummy tempura bits mixed in, and a fresh layer of salmon on top as well. The egg and onion mixture over the donburi was so delicious, and was a great part to soak up rice. We also got the matcha cake for dessert which had layers of a more buttery/strong matcha cake, red bean mousse, regular matcha cake, and matcha mousse. On top there were nice matcha filled pocky sticks. It was delicious, and I'd definitely recommend trying it. Overall, this spot is great for a special occasion or nice dinner, and I'm so glad to have finally tried it! Definitely worth a shot. read more
3 years ago
Food: the food was so good! The soup was so flavorful the fish from the omakase and sushi was so fresh! Service: the service was great! Our waiter was very attentive and so sweet! She made sure that we had our water and constantly checked on us just in case we needed anything. Ambiance: the inside of the store is very elegant. I was in errands outfit and I felt so out of place by how clean and beautiful the inside was! I would recommend this place for dates, celebrations, or even fancy dining! read more
3 years ago
A friend treated me to the Omakase Special here for my birthday. $150/pp for great omakase and it was such a fun experience. Our waiters and servers were super attentive and quick about clearing dishes when we were finished with each course. Andrew is really fun and energetic, and I loved his service and care. Drink menu here is legit, if you're a whiskey lover like my friend and I, this is the spot for you. My friend had the peated whiskey and I stuck with a toki whiskey cocktail. Both were awesome and just what we wanted. To pair with the omakase, we also had the Hojicha tea. I love Hojicha so this was a highlight for me. Servers won't hesitate to refill your hot water either! We got started with the opening appetizer course that was housed in a little tangerine which was light and refreshing. Into the Uni wrap which had fantastic texture with edible flowers. A5 wagyu toast with Uni was absolute to die for and left me wanting 10 more squares . Closing the appetizers, we had a sashimi dish with fatty tuna (Otoro) and I forgot the one on the right... Moving into the 11 course nigiri, I've selected a few favorites you can view in the photos. All were delicious and so fresh! The closing dishes were great and unique as well. There was a fish dish with lotus root, and then the hot egg custard with mushroom & truffle, as well as a naruto! Dessert was a nice cake set and everyone had different flavors. My friend received a coffee/mousse cake and I had the yuzu citrus cake. Both cakes were fantastic and i would totally go back just for the yuzu cake read more
GREAT night of sashimi and other delectables at Minamoto. We had a long overdue reunion with friends who live in the Seattle area, and came here on their recommendation. Since they were regulars, we sat back and let the pros order up what turned out to be the Japanese food equivalent of the Billboard Top 10 list of culinary hits. We started off with the uni and foie gras toasts. Man, out of the gate, winner winner uni dinner. My toes curled up a little eating this, not gunna lie. I don't know what it was called, but we had a dish of uni, toro, and caviar on a bed of sushi rice, presented with smoke under glass. Video attached, but bonus points on both flavors and presentation. The grilled hamachi kama, an always fave of mine, was very good. The only thing on their version is I've never had this where it wasn't scaled. There we parts around the throat that still had the scales on. Didn't get in the way of me enjoying it but very unusual and may be off putting to some. The platter of sashimi was outstanding. It included golden eye snapper (another favorite!) that is usually only available in restaurants that source directly from Japan. The toro, hirame, and other fish were fantastic. The shrimp and veggie tempura was nice, pretty standard across most Japanese restaurants. We ended the meal with ame ebi, accompanied by the fried shrimp heads. Nice capper for the night. The service I have to admit was just ok. While we waited for our friends, I was trying to catch a server to get a cocktail going. Three came by, two even said hello, but kept on walking as I tried to say "excuse me". It took several tries and minutes for me to flag someone down who was still hurriedly trying to walk past yet again. Then before we were finished with the meal, our main server brought out or check. We were all looking at each other wondering if that was a not so subtle hint they wanted us out? Our friends assured us this wasn't the normal level of service, and I have no reason to doubt them. That said, at least for this one night we tried, service could have been better. read more
Minamoto is a bit off the main streets of Bellevue. There is parking under the building, seemingly off an alley. Don't worry; it's not sketchy. The restaurant is one of the more premium and reliable sushi restaurants on the Eastside that doesn't going for the volume. We have been there three times by now, and we have not been disappointed. The first time was table dining, the second time omakase, the third time with a big group of 10 where we occupied the long table off the side of the restaurant. All three experiences were positive; the teenagers in the group of 10 enjoyed their food, too. The interior is elegantly peaceful; it is not a loud party place. The servers are attentive, no issue. Their prices are a tad premium, but not too bad overall. The Food (from two visits): Omakase - They do a fixed price omakase. It was $150 when I went years ago. The dishes were plentiful and very fresh. All fishes then were flown in from Japan. I recall being satisfied with the variety and options. There was one mistake. One bite was a piece of A5 Wagyu. They lightly hot-stoned seared and served it. But the inside was still icy. Years later, I still remember this flaw. Lol. Crispy Jumbo Softshell (Crab), $25 - 4.5 Stars I love their version. I prefer it over the famous crab in a bag of The Market (Edmonds' fishmonger). I like that version too, but this has a lighter coating and just more delicate all around. The price is reasonable. Grilled Hamachi Kama, $32 - 3.5 Stars When we ordered it previously, it was $28, which was already quite spendy. But it was well seasoned and a meatier piece than most places that typically charge $15 to maybe $18. At $32, I think it's the last time we'll order this from here. Fantastic Roll, $28 - 4.5 Stars Menu: Salmon, tuna, yellowtail with avocado, cucumber and tobiko in kelp kombu soy paper We enjoy rolls that have lots of fish. This fit the bill. Every piece was perfect. Lobster Avocado Roll, $30 - 4.5 Stars Menu: Steamed lobster with avocado and eel sauce The lobster has a good chew that goes well with the avocado and rice. It is my second time ordering this; I think I'll be a sucker for this for several more visits. Served with head and tail, it's picture perfect. read more
6 months ago
really bad, 1 of 5, dragon roll had inedible hard parts, poor food quality control , avoid this place if you can read more
4 years ago
We had dinner here for a special date night and really enjoyed the superb service, intimate atmosphere, and good food. The restaurant is beautifully designed with a modern Asian theme, low lighting and warm tones making it a great date night location. Our server was friendly and fun and despite having to work on a holiday was in excellent spirits and made our dinner fun. The husband had the pan fried gyoza which was apparently quite delicious. I enjoyed a scallop with mushroom special which was tasty. We shared a special roll that was presented beautifully and everything fresh and delicious. Finally the steak lava stone which was also perfectly prepared and overall good but felt like it was lacking seasoning. We left full and happy. As someone with a gluten allergy you are definitely limited but they do have many items, are very savvy on their menu ingredients, and carry gf sauces! We look forward to returning soon. read more
Delicious sushi! Get the fantastic roll and volcano roll! King crab miso is a must. Non sushi - Mushroom fried rice also a hit. The staff is very attentive and very friendly. The restaurant has a an intimate high-end feel to it. This is one of my favorite places for sushi by far, read more
2 years ago
3/5/2022 Saturday I had a great time at Minamoto on Saturday lunch. Andrew was very nice and he was friendly! As soon as we opened the door, he welcomed us with smile. It was between lunch and dinner around 4pm, so there was only us and other couple at the restaurant. My chawanmushi and mushroom soup were hot and very flavorful. Fantastic roll came after and salmon and sashimi were very fresh and I loved it! Andrew informed fresh scallop just arrived, but we were so full. Restaurant was clean and gorgeous as well. I will definitely come back for dinner time! read more
3 years ago
I'm never in Bellevue but ventured out of my comfort zone to try a new restaurant. We came here for lunch on a Saturday for lunch and to our surprise they just opened. It was perfect! I was greeted by their manager and he was super friendly and welcoming. The restaurant is really stunning. From the decor to the openness and the ability to see the chefs create your sushi. I ordered the gyoza for an appetizer and the volcano roll for my course. Both were excellent. I loved the seasonings on the gyoza. For dessert I ordered the coffee chocolate mousse cake and it was to die for. Oh my gosh it was so good. I would go back just for that dessert itself. The prices are on the higher size but you know what they say, you get what you pay for! They have tons of other unique items on the menu that I would come back and try as well. All in all a very nice place! read more
My fiancé and I recently went here in search of some good local sushi. We made a reservation and were seated right away. We immediately noticed how amazing the service was. Our waiter was super friendly and was quick to notice whenever our drinks needed refills. We started with the tuna pizza and it was so yummy, definitely big enough to split between 2 people. Then we split the udon which was incredible and so flavorful. We finished the meal with an avocado salmon roll with an assortment of nigiri. Everything was so fresh. Special shout out to the toro nigiri-best toro I have had in a while! For dessert we ordered the cheesecake and a slice of coffee flavored cake. Both were delicious and a perfect way to end the meal. They also validate parking :) read more
Super fresh and tasty fish, friendly service, and a chic atmosphere make Minamoto a fantastic date night destination. We went all out and tried a variety of dishes. Everything was delicious. The shrimp and vegetable tempura was crisp, light, and perfectly done. The sashimi was tender and fresh (we tried yellowtail, toro, salmon). The rolls were also yummy and perfectly sized for mouthfuls. We had a special appetizer of seared scallop and wild mushrooms, and it was one of the best scallops I've ever tried. Their sake and whisky offerings are also extensive. The manager will happily recommend something to taste. The prices are quite high, so this may not be a regular night go-to, but it is an easy choice for a special occasion or to take out-of-town visitors. Highly recommended! read more
One of my favorite places for omakase. Conveniently located in Bellevue downtown with a parking garage. Easy to make reservations- there are two seatings for omakase. Sushi chefs are friendly and do an amazing job with presentation. Fish is always fresh! Beautifully decorated interior. read more
2 years ago
We love the serene ambience of this elegant Japanese restaurant. This was our first visit, just happened to discover it while walking nearby the Bellevue Transit Center. The lunch entrees were excellent and quite well prepared. Udon noodles were particularly fresh and high quality. The broth was richly flavored and delicious. The chashu was beautifully presented in thin round slices and not too salty. The chicken katsu with curry rice was also delicious! We will definitely bring others back to this restaurant someday! read more
6 years ago
OVERALL: 5.4/10 (Yelp Converted Score: 2.7/5). Advice: Not actual, authentic Japanese food, by any account. If you want sushi, go to Kashiba. If you want any other dish, this place is not close to the top ten of Japanese places you should try. Honestly, I'm shocked to be giving this place a 3 stars (what with rounding), but I guess this is what happens when you have a review system that forces you to rate things based on whole numbers. 1) VARIETY/SELECTION: 8/10. They had quite a number of pages on the menu. I don't know if this speaks to "upscale Japanese establishment" or "a typical Asian fusion joint", but I lean more to the latter than the former. The menu sections included: appetizer, soup, grills, fry, saute/wok, sushi bar, sashimi/nigiri, special roll, maki. It was quite overwhelming, but... maybe a lot of selection isn't the best thing. 2) FRESHNESS: 5/10. Each of the dishes were underwhelming in their own unique way. The sushi roll's rice was undercooked, salmon was at least marginally fresh, but I wasn't "wowed" by the sushi. Overall, it definitely had an inconsistent temperature (the fish versus the seaweed versus the rice versus the other fillings). This likely points to some combination between chef inexperience and lack of ingredient freshness. The black cod was tender, but lacked any flavour. The garnishes weren't tasteful either; while the cod was at least somewhat moist, my partner commented at how greasy it was (that's when I noticed it too). The upside? It was at least warm-ish cod. The sukiyaki came with a lightly poached egg on it (NOT AUTHENTIC). The vegetables included *maybe* had 6-8 different ones, maximum, but nothing that would qualify being in an authentic Japanese sukiyaki dish. There was a very thin layer of mostly overcooked (supposedly angus-quality) beef, as well as noodles. The small assortment (not much variety, it's like when non-Asian businesses try to add veggies to something to call it "Asian") of vegetables (cabbage, carrot, onion, normal mushrooms) at least had a few of each within the wide, but not deep bowl. 3) VALUE FOR MONEY: 4/10. We ordered three items: - Beautiful Alaska Roll ($18) - overpriced; cost should take more than $10/roll, including labour and ingredients. - Grilled Saikyo Black Cod ($20) - also overpriced. The fish was slightly greasy, moist, but not very flavourful. - Beef Sukiyaki ($25) - way overpriced (although the portion size looks good at first glance). I'm shocked this cost over $50 - given the portion size, quality, and general plating of each dish. It didn't come across as "upscale", it came across as overpriced. 4) SERVICE: 5/10. Our experience should have been relatively quick, since the restaurant claimed 25% capacity maximum, and were maybe 10% full when we arrived (without a reservation). The sushi roll took around 15 minutes to come out. The Alaskan cod came next ($20 for this one), around 15-20 minutes later. So far this experience isn't something I'd come back for. Did I mention that the service is EXTREMELY SLOW. and this is with limited capacity - I can't imagine what would happen if this place was at full capacity. We waited roughly an hour (after sitting down and ordering) for all of our food. The sukiyaki arrived last, about 45-50 minutes after we arrived. Water refills were prompt (twice), but without food, we're not really having a reason to drink water. 5) CONSISTENCY / FIRST IMPRESSION: 5/10. I wouldn't recommend this place for anyone looking for a true upscale Japanese restaurant experience - there are many better places elsewhere in Seattle. You'd be doing yourself a disservice by going here, if you hadn't tried any of the actual great ones already (Kashiba being the incumbent #1). read more
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More info about Minamoto Japanese Cuisine
11011 NE 9th St
Bellevue, WA 98004
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(425) 999-3338
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http://www.minamotowa.com
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Ask the Community - Minamoto Japanese Cuisine
Omakase asks for a $50 deposit per person during tock reservations. Is that non refundable in the event of cancelation? If the reservation is completed is the 50 per person deposit added as a credit to the omakase bill?
Do you offer dine-in at the moment for 6 people party?
We offer 2 separate table for party of 5+ due to covid regulation
How much is the Omakase? Out of curiosity
$150 per person, 15-17 courses. You MUST have a reservation for the omakase, and I believe that it is only available at the sushi bar (so that the chefs can actively interact with you). ENJOY!
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