I would definitely say this spot is a hidden spot!! We couldn't find it until we walked into this place by guessing it based on the Japanese decors and kind of looks like izakaya!! We got seated immediately and it went kind of busy the whole time. It's a pretty small place so it's easier to get a spot with small group of people instead of big group, you might have to wait longer. We got Onigiri and I highly recommend salmon with ikura and mentaiko special! That two are my most favorites!!! The agedashi tofu was okay, didn't expect that texture. The tofu was not crunchy but more mochi texture and the sauce/broth is like overly thick. Not really our favorite. The katsu don was really good too!! I ordered lychee fizz but they were out of lychee syrup... my husband ordered curry chicken don and they were out of curry.... Oh well. read more

Onibaba - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great food. Great value. Definitely left very full but still got onigiri to go. Service was quick and friendly. Tables are small so not ideal for large groups. Chill and unique interior. Street parking and some paid lots nearby. read more

Onibaba - Ochazuke - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Everything about this place is fantastic!!! No ads. No sign. Always busy. Word of mouth only. Sit on street for sure! read more

The service is simple, ambience is cozy. The food though, quite good! The onigiris are filling and really good, the mentaiko with the cheese was rich and slightly sweet, the butter and the crispy rice makes a texture bomb. read more

Onibaba - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We stopped here a week ago wanting to try their onigiris. It was pretty busy when I came but I was able to place an order and leave within 5-10 minutes. I got the avocado salmon and unagi during that visit. I was surprised at how big it was. But the important part was that my kids love it. They were devouring it for dinner. We decided to check them out for dine in. We came in right when it opens so it wasn't busy at all. We got: Ochakuze with salmon and salmon roe --- pretty good, but it got salty eventually. Pork belly don -- I like the flavor of this one more - balanced. Yaki shoyu butter -- good and very buttery. Tuna mayo onigiri -- not as good as the other two but still decent. It was very rice heavy though, so I felt like it was monotonous at some point. Overall, it was a good place, if you like rice you will love this place read more

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Walking into this place, you see traditional Japanese decorations with masks and glass charms on the ceiling. Ochazuke is not a very common style of Japanese food in Seattle, so I have to try it. I ordered the Una Ebi with green tea broth. Very mild flavor in general which is what I like. My friend with Donburi Tonkatsu telling me that the pork is tough to chew throw. Service is good. The server keeps checking on us and making sure the table is cleared. Next time we would probably avoid Tonkatsu. read more

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Onibaba is a small and cozy restaurant that specialises in Onigiri in Japantown. They don't have a sign in front but it's easy to find. I've tried their Oyako, Unagi, and Mentaiko onigiri. Their portion is big and two onigiri are quite filling. The ingredients are fresh and delicious. Staff were nice and friendly. They have a small space inside so you may have to wait a bit if you want to dine-in. Parking may be hard but try street parking by the garden on the Main st. I'd highly recommend this place if you want a high-quality and delicious onigiri. read more

Onibaba - Mentaiko, Oyako, Unagi onigiri - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The ochazuke with salted salmon is so good! It is like a bowl of comfort! Service was quick and the ambiance felt cozy! read more

Onibaba - Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I'm so happy I finally got to try out this restaurant! Its hours are 12-2 and 5-9 and they are also closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I'm also from out of state so everytime i went I wasn't able to try it out until this time! It was definitely worth it! It's a small restaurant located across from another sushi place. The restaurant itself has a warm and cozy atmosphere. We ordered the ochazuke, the unigiri (mentaiko mayo and the mentaiko special), as well as the agedashi tofu. The ochazuke was very good! I ordered it with grilled eel and after the original dashi broth was added into the rice, the dish was just perfect! I definitely recommend trying this dish! I would go back just for it! The eel was made perfectly and was soft and flavorful. I also loved the mentaiko special onigiri (cheese and spicy roe)! It was so so delicious! We ordered the mentaiko special togo as it was so good we needed to bring it back to california hahaaha. All in all, definitely a five star restaurant I would definitely recommend!! For parking, since it is a busy area, we ended up parking at uwajimaya which has free parking if you make a minimum purchase of $20. We just bought some snacks and that covered parking. read more

Onibaba - mentaiko mayo onigiri, agedashi tofu, ochazuke - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

In the heart of Japantown, is a onigiri donburi shop with a playful Japanese character the "obaasan monster" / Onibaba. The butter shoyu onigiri 5/5 heavy on the butter, nice grilled touch. Ume shiso onigiri 7/5 generous sour on top and in the middle, with sprinkling of Shiso on the side. Unagi egg donburi $26. Looked beautiful, cannot attest to the taste. Great atmosphere, like being whisked into a restaurant in Japan. read more

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Great onigiri and ochazuke! I got the cheese katsu onigiri which was big and filly. The salmon roe ochazuke was also delicious. I'd definitely try the unagi next time since that one has crispy rice. Service was fast, not a lot of seating so expect a small line. I'd come back, totally recommend! read more

Onibaba - Ochazuke - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We've dined in and ordered delivery from them several times, and we've always been happy with the experience. They can get a bit busy at night since it's not a very large place, but we've never had to wait long. The restaurant feels warm and welcoming, with cute interior decorations that make it feel like a little mini getaway. Their food is delicious and very consistent--I've never had a poorly prepared dish from them. Some of my favorites include the fried chicken, saba ochazuke, cheese yaki onigiri, tuna onigiri, and katsu curry. They also offer a nice selection of canned beers, which is a great bonus. read more

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All food and drinks were amazing. Highly recommend. The lychee cocktail is amazing. Limited seating inside. Limited street parking; recommend to uber. Fast and friendly service read more

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My friends were telling me that this spot has some of the best onigiri and I saw that I had this place bookmarked so I was really excited to stop by. The restaurant is definitely tiny and they do have an outdoor spot but they don't offer outdoor dining, so not sure what that is about. Although if they are full, they ask for your name and it seems like that is where you're supposed to wait to get called. I know this as we were told it would be about a 20 minute wait so we went to walk around but when we returned, we had to get put on the list again as they had apparently called us and we weren't there. I felt like they should take numbers as well because it felt unfair that we returned within the time frame but then we were told in a rude manner for no reason. But it turns out the service here is definitely not warm or good as the employees barely check in on you, took a long time to do things, and I also don't like that we all ordered and mentioned we are doing four separate checks but our onigiri was put together with another person's order in our party. I suppose they do offer a plate on the table but just thought it was a bit annoying. The interior here is cute and cozy. I love the wind chimes above the table we were sitting at. The name and mascot is a fun idea for their restaurant! I did notice that there were a lot of random wet spots which sucked as I had a backpack with me so I had to have it on my lap (I had a seat that was against the wall so couldn't put it on the chair). The menu isn't too big and I definitely want to come back to try the ochazuke as I've always wanted to try it out. But since everyone in my party were getting onigiri and they said the onigiri here is good, I went with the ebi mayo onigiri. I was surprised by the size of the shrimp tempura, it was massive but it was delicious. It wasn't the best shrimp tempura but it was filling and not bad for the price. I also got their lychee fizz which was very refreshing with a satisfying fizz, plus they apparently make the lychee syrup in house. My friends got their other drinks which looked amazing too so definitely want to try those out too. read more

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I really want to come back here and try the ochazuke! The onigiri were so very good and they had a great variety for all dietary needs. We tried a good sampling but I think my favorite might have been the cheese yaki onigiri. The server was very sweet and gave good recommendations. It's a very small place with only like 6 tables or so inside but it's very cozy and warm. I think their patio would be lovely in summer. read more

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These are huge onigiris lol. All are really well done and tasty a little overpriced, but expected. Service was great. Seating is a little cramped and you're very close to other tables and wished they had a coat rack or some place to hang purses underneath the table. Otherwise fun place to grab a quick bite. read more

Onibaba - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This spot used to have a long wait even on the weekdays, but these days it's not too bad at all, which unfortunately corresponds to a drop in quality. This also used to be one of my favorite spots as they typically have no misses. I've tried their onigiris, musubis, rice dishes, specials, and my favorite, curry udon, which were all great. However, in the last couple times I went, I got the egg drop soup udon, which was a special. Their specials are usually on point, but this wasn't good at all and made me regret ordering it. The other time, I got their curry udon and it felt like it was mostly soup. I'm not sure what happened but with how pricey this spot is, I probably won't return for awhile. read more

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Pretty unique limited menu. It's no longer a sushi restaurant. A lot of rice dishes including kazu, rice bowl with soup pour over. We ordered the oyako and tako wasabi. Flavor was good but pretty simple. read more

Onibaba - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Onibaba has recently become a favorite of mine. My absolute go to is the Ebi Mayo onigiri. Crispy and lightly sweet, I could eat 2 of them!! We tried the cheese pork katsu onigiri last night and it was very rich and delicious. I have yet to try everything on the menu but trust me, I'm working on it.. I'm coming for the donburi next... The space is small but cozy and inviting. There is always one younger guy working when I come and he runs the place like it's nobody's business! you are well taken care of here. If you can't get a seat, order your onigiri to go :) It's just as good and totally worth it to go walk down the street and find a nice place to enjoy it. read more

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We first tried Onibaba during one of the CID Food Walks earlier this year and enjoyed the food, especially for only $6 an entree. We recently decided to visit and eat in for a weekday lunch. This was at 12:30 and we got the second to last table. Since the restaurant is small, with only 20 indoor seats, expect a wait at peak times especially on weekends (when I've seen people line up before opening). They do have some outdoor seating, but I can't see it being used all that often in the Fall/Winter. At least when we visited, no one was outside in the blustery weather. Shoyu Butter Yaki Onigiri ($6) - They ran out of the Corn Butter so I ordered this instead. This onigiri is ridiculously heavy and rich. It's like every single rice grain has been smothered in a vat of butter, then pressed into the traditional onigiri shape and toasted until the exterior is charred and somewhat crisp. Then it's slathered with soy sauce and extra butter on top, just because. With how rich it is, it's like a whole meal by itself - honestly after a couple of bites I felt like I didn't need to eat anything else coming out. The one negative that really struck out to me - the use of medium grain rice. It's not quite sticky enough to hold together while eating. Instead, clumps fall of onto the plate with each bite. It's a strange way to cheapen out on a dish. (4/5) Katsu Curry ($22) - The dish comes first with a small side salad consisting of mixed greens and dressing drizzled on top that tastes like a mixture of kewpie mayo and some type of vinaigrette. There's then a bit of fukujinzuke, the classic reddish pickled daikon. It's a bit higher quality than the typical packaged ones seen coming with most other curry. There's a somewhat smoky essence that comes with the salty vinegary, crunchy bite. The rice is the same medium grain as with the onigiri. Not ideal for katsu curry, but acceptable, albeit perhaps a bit dry in preparation. The katsu is nice. It's enrobed in bread crumbs and fried nicely, giving a good level of crisp that stands up to the curry somewhat. The rosu loin cut of pork inside isn't dried out, so it remains somewhat moist and tender while being cooked until no pink remains They don't seem to trim much of the fat and sinew off, so on one side there's a strip of fat, and through the center of the cut there's a bit of a tough area between two different muscle groups, indicating a cut perhaps closer to the end of the loin. Still, it's one of the better preparations for tonkatsu I've seen around Seattle. The curry smells extremely fragrant arriving to the table but then on the tongue it mostly tastes of sweet allium, which somehow overpowers the other flavors which typically dominate (and are expected to dominate). This seems to be due to the copious amount of sweet caramelized onion added throughout. It's far too sweet for my tastes unfortunately. They also don't give a lot of curry, not nearly enough for the mound of rice included. I think I was only about half way done with the rice before all the curry was gone. The entree comes with a side of miso soup, pretty typical soup, giving a salty and umami miso taste with a bit of wakame floating on top. It's a simple and comforting soup. (4/5) Sake Ochazuke, Green Tea, Extra Rice. ($16) - A ton of rice is topped with dried seaweed, sesame seeds, green onion, little fried rice crispies, and a ton of salmon. The salmon comes in smaller flakes and chunks, with some pieces still having bone inside. The fish has an overly salmon fishy flavor, not like fresh salmon at all. Kind of like a several-day-old aroma for some reason. I guess they make up for quality in quantity? The ochazuke itself is nice. They provide an entire teapot of green tea infused dashi, full of umami and a very, very slight vegetal note. It makes the dish into essentially rice porridge soup (note: not congee; the rice granules hold their own against the hot broth), making it nice to sip on during the cold Seattle days. This dish comes with a side of hiyayakko. This includes two slices of chilled tofu, which seem to be more firm than silken, dressed in a soy sauce base and topped with ginger, bonito flakes, and scallion. A fresh tofu taste, aromatic with plenty of salt and umami. The included tsukemono are nice. One a pickled purple eggplant, giving an extreme burst of pungent acidity, almost mouth puckeringly like umeboshi. The other a nice yellow vinegar soaked daikon, nutty with sesame seeds on top, and giving a great crunchy, salty and tangy bite. (3/5) My feelings leaving Onibaba are a bit mixed. A place specializing in onigiri should try to use the highest quality rice possible and yet that's the main thing they seem to skimp on. All the food here seems to be technically correct and cohesive, but the quality of some of the ingredients is a bit lacking for the price point. Bathrooms - One for men, one for women. read more

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I really enjoy Onibaba for it's history and ties to past owners, their instagram is fun, and the food is great. I LOVE their ochazuke, I like it with dashi or tea, and oyako style. This is the only place I've seen such offerings in Seattle, and it's such a comfort food. The wait time is hit or miss, but if you avoid their peak hours, there isn't a real wait. It is a bit tight inside as it's a small restaurant, but their food presentation, thoughtfulness towards customers, and flavor are all worth it. read more

I liked all the elements of the Yaki Shoyu Butter rice ball as someone who is a fan of burnt & crispy rice, but in all honesty I could've made this at home haha now I know! My one criticism with the Yaki selections is wishing there was a protein paired. My first choice was actually the Corn Butter but they were out. I think with the corn it would've been the same experience with little extra texture. For a more balanced dish I also ordered a Buta Bara Don which came with pork belly, onions (trust there were lots of onions), garlic, chili flakes, and a fried egg. Their serving sizes here are very filling!!! Unless you have a massive appetite I think you can expect to take some to go. There was a slightly sweet sauce in my rice bowl I would have enjoyed if there was less of it but otherwise this was solid! :) Miso soup that came with my meal was comforting for a cold day, no notes! Ambiance and wait: Small indoor seating and limited outdoor space, so depending on your party size expect a 5-20 min wait if you don't get there early! Parking: Located in International District there is no parking lot connected, so find your luck with street parking, paid lots, or take the streetcar to get here. Buta Bara Don $18.00 Yaki Shoyu Butter Onigiri $6.00 read more

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Obviously the cheese onigiri is the star of the show but don't sleep on the Takana onigiri! Those pickled greens were fireee. The katsu curry is better than the katsu don (both are yum though!!). Really nice severs and great vibes. Will be coming again and again read more

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Tried their ebi mayo and sake onigiri and was underwhelmed. The fillings are fine in taste but the ratio with rice makes the onigiri lack flavor. The price is also high for what you get. read more

Onibaba - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Overall: A // 5 stars Petite Japanese restaurant located in the international district bringing lots of heart and authenticity; they specialize in ochazuke, which traditionally pours a tea-based broth into a rice bowl. I went for the Oyako (salmon + ikura) with a yuzu dashi broth, which brought me right back to Japan. The salmon is tender, ikura is fresh and vibrant, and even the little details such as the tempura crunch, nori, and scallions that help build flavor don't go unnoticed. They also specialize in onigiri, rice balls, with another expansive menu that looks intriguing. Would recommend for those looking for clean eating. Food: +1 Presentation: +1 Price: E Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: +2 Overall: 5 stars Insta/Yelp/Beli/TikTok: @amei_eats read more

Onibaba - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I've been a loyal customer of this place for a long time. I first discovered Tsukushinbo 25 years ago and remember waiting in line just to enjoy their ramen and katsu curry. Now, nearly five years since it reopened under the new name Onibaba, This is where I come for Japanese comfort food. I was beyond excited when I saw ochazuke on the menu -- a dish my Japanese grandmother used to make for me when I was young. Eating it here in Seattle brought back so many memories, and that excitement turned into pure joy with the first bite. It pairs perfectly with Seattle's cozy weather. My go-to dishes are the agedashi tofu and tori karaage -- they're hands down the best in Seattle. Their onigiri is hearty and generously filled, and the katsu curry is still just as good as ever. The space is small but warm and inviting, and the staff are always kind and attentive. If you're craving authentic and comforting Japanese food, Onibaba is the place to go. read more

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My friend brought me here for my birthday lunch and it was cozy and tasty! I had the spam musubi, sake (salted salmon) onigiri, and unagi onigiri. My friend had the Mentaiko Special onigiri and the unagi ochazuke with dashi broth. We shared an order of tori karaage (fried chicken). We enjoyed our meal but some things were better than others. I loved the unagi onigiri (generous amount of unagi) but the sake onigiri was just fine. We both thought the tori karaage was top notch and super savory, and I took some home to my hubs who also loved it. My friend enjoyed her unagi ochazuke a lot but would not order the cheesy Mentaiko Special onigiri again. The spam musubi was good and I took some home because two onigiri was already really filling. Service was friendly and pretty efficient. We liked the vibe of the place, just know that it's small with about 8-9 tables, so you might have to wait a while to get seated. We arrived at 12:25pm on a Sunday and it took about 35 minutes to get a table. Next time, I'll try coming after 1pm on a weekday and see if it's a shorter wait. Cool place. I'll definitely be back. read more

Finally tried this spot during the CID food walk! It's pretty tiny inside and really easy to miss on the outside - there wasn't any apparent sign. We got a sake onigiri and tuna mayo onigiri, as well as a soup and bento. The onigiris were good, but nothing that special - I did think they were lacking a bit of flavor. I felt similarly about the soup, as it was nice and warm but nothing I haven't had before. Where they shined was the karaage and mac salad - those were fantastic and done so well. Super flavorful and well cooked! We sat outside which was fine, and overall I think it's worth a try once. read more

Onibaba - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Unique traditional Japanese spot located in the International District. It's a small spot, but was able to get in without a wait during a weekday. Flavors are soothing and delicious. Staff are friendly as well. read more

Onibaba - Ochazuke - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

My friends and I came in ~45 min before closing on a Friday night and there was no wait (fab). It was very chill, we were greeted and received our food pretty promptly. We ordered the sake and unagi and egg ochazuke. One with the original dashi and one with the green tea plus dashi. We also ordered the cheese katsu and shoyu butter onigiris. The ochazuke were really yummy. I like that you can choose different quantities of rice per bowl. I also like that it comes with pickles and some slices of tofu. The soups themselves were flavorful as well. I preferred the green tea one as it was a warm yet light flavor. My friends preferred the original dashi which I also enjoyed. The onigiris were also really good. I especially loved the shoyu butter yaki one, was super flavorful. Overall, I really enjoyed onibaba! I'll definitely be back to try other things on the menu (but minus the wait time). read more

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Everything we ordered was very salty. Una Tama Jyu was flavorful but waaay too salty. Mentaiko special was even saltier. While the udon tasted like watered down soy sauce. The katsu curry was edible. Miso soup was too salty. Service was good and tentative. Definitely not coming back. read more

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Restaurant is little, maybe seats 22 ppl but the food is worth it. Every bite i had was savory and filling. My sister and I ordered several onigiri, musibi and agedashi tofu. My favorite was the mentaiko with cheese and the California. Our server was quick and friendly, and the decor was cute and relaxing. read more

The food here was really good. Seemed like pretty authentic Japanese food. It's close to pioneer square and Japan town. I would come back and try some other food. They have a large selection in onigiri read more

Onibaba - Katsu Curry - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great Japanese food! I got the katsu-don and ebi mayo onigiri, both were delicious!! My meal also came with a side of miso soup too. There was no skimping on portions and seasoning was perfect! Our server was also helpful with any questions we had and gave us many suggestions that would fit our palette. Despite the restaurant being on the smaller side, the interior design was nice. It's a bit of traditional Japanese architecture with a bit modernism. The logo for Onibaba is also really cute! I would definitely recommend if you're in the international district! read more

This place filled up quickly after opening so would recommend stopping by early to put your name down. There's a park nearby and some shops so few ways to kill time. We each got different variations of the chasuke, all amazing. The entire time we were eating we kept saying "mmmm" and "so good". The two onigiris were good, but the chasuke was definitely the star of the show. The tables were small though and it felt a little precarious with all the items on the table. The prices were fair, about $20 and we were extending full after. Servers were nice and we briefly met the owner who was also friendly! Highly recommend stopping by if you get a chance! read more

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I love the anime music & the warm lights. Not a lot of seating but it is a small restaurant. Super piping hot curry udon, but pretty good. Would get it again. Delicious read more

Small Japanese spot tucked into a quiet corner of the International District. They serve onigiri (rice balls), ochazuke (rice with tea), donburi (rice bowls) with various types of meat/seafood/veggies, and other side dishes. They also have a selection of teas, Japanese beer & liquor and sake. They don't take reservations and it's a small restaurant with limited seating so you will probably have to wait a bit if you come at peak hours. They have a covered area outside where you can stand and wait if it's raining. Inside it is a bit cramped but after you're seated it wasn't an issue. My favorite onigiris were the unagi and the mentaiko. The unagi was super tasty. My friend also tried the salmon and ikura onigiri and enjoyed it. I also really liked the kaarage salad which came with 4 huge pieces of lightly fried chicken. It was crispy and flavorful, and the salad was also well dressed. read more

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came around 7:15pm on a thursday and put my name down, got seated 15 mins later. it's a small restaurant so there's a wait but it wasn't long at all. I loved all the onigiris I tried here! I got the: - ajitama onigiri: the marinated egg was delicious and soft - ebi ten onigiri: crispy and had enough sauce to flavor the rice - unagi onigiri: my favorite! the unagi was tender and the sauce was balanced in general all the onigiris were well-portioned and moist. would love to come back and try the ochazuke! read more

This is a hidden gem in Japantown. We almost walked past it as it doesn't have any clear signage in front of the shop. Once inside, the interiors are well decorated and cozy. My friend and I were seated immediately, but they likely have a wait on busier days as the restaurant is quite small. We tried some of their cocktail drinks and they were really good. We ordered the octopus ochazuke, burdock salad, karaage, and eel bowl. Everything came out pretty fast and it was really flavorful. I definitely have to come back to try their signature onigiri and curry dishes. read more

Onibaba - Japanese Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Such a unique restaurant I've never had the tea soup (ochazuke) before! There are not a lot of available seating, and there was some mystery water dripping at the entrance but it is such a unique spot and the food is great! The food comes out fast but we did need to wait a while to get orders and checks since the waiter was so busy, really appreciated their efforts to check in on everyone despite the craze! read more

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