Have been wanting to visit here for awhile.It's very close to work finally paid a visit with friends this past Tuesday. The space is a lot bigger inside than it appears from the outside. Love how sake labels are on the wall. the bottles for sale are beautifully displayed. Most people think it's a shop and don't realize you can enjoy sampling sakes. There is a bar and also tables to sit at. The owner Johnnie is usually onsite and isn't pushy and very patient and informative. No food is available so you're allowed to bring food in. I had a bunch of time after getting off work at 3 till I had to meet friends so I went up the hill and grabbed mezze from Yalla which was a great match. There were five of us most of us had a glass one friend has a flight. Will definitely be back read more

Saké Nomi - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Saké Nomi is one part store, one part bar, and all saké! Very few places carry as impressive a saké selection as Nomi so this should be on your must-visit list if you love saké. The location is small, intimate, with a small drinking area downstairs and an even smaller store upstairs. Shelves lined with saké bottles of all shapes and sizes with tasting notes. Informational leaflets and manga were placed between the shelving units, mostly in Hiragana and Katakana, but nothing Google translate couldn't handle. We had a flight of saké downstairs followed by a glass of our favorites. Johnnie was stalwart while Taiko was fun and personable. They had a fantastic dynamic that created a wonderful customer experience. Sadly our favorite saké was limited edition and with our last sips there were no bottles to purchase. It provides a brilliant reason to return in the future. read more

Saké Nomi - Inside - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The owner is very nice and knowledgeable. Great sake and a wide selection as well! We tried their flight and was surpised to find some unique notes and flavors that we liked. read more

Saké Nomi - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Good, fresh sake is hard to find in the US, so it requires a direct importer. I wish I would have found this place sooner as the selection is massive. I need to revisit many more times to really dial in my sake preferences but got a fantastic start on my first visit =) read more

Sake nomi is an 18 year old gem in Downtown Seattle. Sake enthusiast, Johnnie, is very knowledgeable about the drinks and is friendly to chat with. I ordered and enjoyed the first sake flight (1,2,3). It was also a nice place to stay cool during this heatwave. I visited Sake Nomi a second time and delighted in a 4oz pour of extremely limited sake. This sealed the deal and I left with a bottle of it. I have been promoting this place to Seattle locals while on my trip! I had a great time. read more

See all

A recent month-long trip to Japan whetted our appetite for sake. We parked at the Tukwila light rail station and took Sound Transit into Seattle. We chose one each of the two tasting flights (three pours with each one), then got an additional pour of our favorite from the initial tasting. Both my wife and I prefer the drier styles normally, but were happy to try one that was slightly effervescent and with hints of green apple. The server (owner?) was great at further educating us about sake styles, and helped us to select a couple bottles to bring home with us. Sake Nomi has been in business for 17 years. Note that no food is served, it is a sake bar/shop exclusively. read more

just came out of this shop. what's funny is we thought it was a Japanese restaurant. but it is just a sake bar. so we ate a little, and came back. good call i have been interested in tasting good sake. and this is comparable to a good wine tasting. there are differences in different distilleries. the owner pour our tasting and we sampled. 2 of us, we got the 2 samplers. it is interesting of how complex the each sake was good education from the owner. i would visit again read more

Saké Nomi - tasting menu - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I was really debating whether i should write a review or not but decided to write it since i do have an obligation to give people heads up in case they were looking forward to get to this nice and impressive sake shop so they wont be disappointed.. I am a huge sake enthusiast and was on a road trip to Seattle from Los Angeles, four months before my trip I already planned to stop at sake nomi for tasting and grab a few bottles. Sake is all about the people and their stories, if it's the brewery owner, the family, the toji, their kids and the rice, yeast and mold they use. Sake is a sofisticate and fascinating drink that has a lot of information exchange especially when you are doing a tasting, its a learning experience anywhere you go, but not here! Johnny seems like a nice guy but I wish he knew more about customer service and experience delivery. We were three people in the store altogether, me my gf and a friend and nobody else. At first when we came in I rushed to the back of the store to appreciate all the amazing bottles he has to offer which is indeed very impressive, after we chatted for a bit i decided to do two sake flights, each priced at 26$ for 3 glasses which is not so cheap. The communication was a bit off already in the beginning since it felt like you have to "milk" answers or information from him but i brushed it off because i do believe in redemption and giving people more than one try. Anyone can see I am very enthusiastic about sake and eager to learn from someone more knowledgable than me which in this case was Johnny, but this tasting was the worst I've ever had and the most awkward scene I've ever been to in a business setting. And this is an understatement. He poured me 6 bottles in a row and put all of them back into the fridge right away after each pour, which usually the tasting will have some structure and guidance to teach the customer something cool or fascinating about the sake your drinking, about the character and the notes, something! Basically to some it all up, i was poured sake and then he took a sit on a bar stool at the other end of the bar sitting with his arms crossed and started watching TV. I was so upset and shocked.. I honestly would have just gone up and leave but I couldn't waste the good sake he just poured. I personally would not recommend anyone to go there for tasting or any interaction more than a transaction at the register since the sake selection is truly great and Johnny has a lot of knowledge so you could buy a bottle or two but nothing more. Don't expect anything else and I know there are tons of people who had the same experience as me. As for Johnny, I would recommend him to hire someone younger with more positive energy and life to them so this place might have a better name and vibe other than "too lazy/don't care" attitude which is the opposite of anything in the service world. This experience really ruined my trip as I was looking forward going to this store and also try and learn more about sake. What a shame... read more

Saké Nomi - 2 sake tasting flights - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

I'm a regular so of course I love coming here! Love the sake tastings and grab bottles to go. Videos always playing can range from television shows to sumo wrestling. read more

Saké Nomi - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

It's nice to come to a place with a passionate owner who knows what's special about their thing and they show you that, like a movie they love that they want the world outside to know about, amazing sake can be found and enjoyed in the middle of Seattle. Definitely coming back. read more

This bartender was incredibly rude. Opened the door to me and my husband and stared at us, as if on guard, until we said we were here for the sake flight. We ordered both flights, which were overpriced, and even though we were the only people in his business he didn't say a single word to us the whole time. The sakes were okay but part of a flight taster is supposed to be the person pouring your drinks is well versed in each and can give you a full experience. Another couple came in and he was very friendly to them, proving this wasn't just a personality issue, he's just selective in who he treats well. I felt so uncomfortable that as soon as I was done I stepped outside for my husband to pay. Next time we go to Seattle, this is a big skip. read more

One thing I really enjoyed about this place is the option to order a flight aka sampler tray. This features 3 of the 6 sakés that they have on the menu at the time. If you are like me and not super familiar with sake this is a great way to try several different varieties. This also helped me to learn which ones I like and don't like. The reason for three stars is because the service was weird to put it nicely. The bar tender seemed to be annoyed with our existence. He was standoffish and inattentive. There were only two of us and we are both super mellow so I wasn't sure what the issue was. Overall I would come here again because I enjoyed sake, but part of me hopes there is someone else there when we stop in again. read more

Saké Nomi - a menu for a meal - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I have been dropping in for a couple of years now and have learned what I like and don't like. Sometimes I randomly buy a bottle, and other times I do the tasting to see what I might like. Trying to work my way through all the bottles to try everything affordable, but as my tastes improve, my definition of affordable raises. haha. read more

I've always liked saké, but living near Saké Nomi for a year really made me fall in love with it. Despite my moving across town several years ago, I still make the trek every month or so to check out their new brews. Their new location on Cherry is lovely. Super chill atmosphere, and I've always found it's a great place to bring visiting friends and family who might not have tried saké, or who might have had bad saké experiences in the past. Would also be a great place for a date. Johnnie, the owner, is a super nice dude, who's always willing to answer questions or give suggestions for new brews to try. One time, after my brother-in-law started asking a bunch of questions about the saké brewing process during a tasting, Johnnie was kind enough to bust out some literature for us to read and put on a brief documentary that showed the process in detail. Pretty cool. Whether you're an aficionado looking for quality saké or a novice in search of a cozy place to try something new, give it a shot. Kanpai, stranger. read more

Sake Nomi is the coolest bar in town! The owner is extremely knowledgeable about sake - there wasn't a question he couldn't answer. And the sake itself - so good! The menu changes weekly, so you can stop in and try a fresh new bottle pretty frequently. I'll definitely be back! read more

What an awesome hidden gem! It's a small and cozy place that can be easy to miss if you aren't specifically trying to find it. My husband and I checked out this sake shop after reading the great reviews. The owner (Johnnie) is such an interesting person and taught us a lot about sake and neat facts about Japan. We had both of the sake flights on offer and they were both great quality and a nice variety. The owner taught us a lot about the sake process and some facts about the types we were sampling during the tasting. Such a fun, relaxed, and informative experience. We left with 3 bottles for our house (there's an amazing selection of sake to purchase!). We will definitely return for both sake tastings (the tasting menus change each week) as well as sake bottles to purchase. Highly recommended for both new and seasoned sake connoisseurs! read more

Talk about eclectic ! All the trappings of a wine tasting room, only sake. The owner lived in Japan for 7 years and, besides becoming a big Japanese baseball fan, also became quite knowledgeable about sake. So much so that he knows, properly, this is cold sake season and that is what he served. Great flight of sakes, all having different tastes in a similar manner a merlot would to a cabernet to a malbec, for example. So it is a great place to start your education - or continue it - on the wonderful drink that is sake. (Sidebar to my family and friends who may read this - I want to be pickled in a barrel of sake when I die. Skip the Viking boat thing.) And for us Japanophiles, the owner can easily go ashinoyubi to ashinoyubi with you on the crazy world of Japan and them some, All the while wearing a Seattle Sounders jersey! I will cut him some slack because he is a BayStars fan (I am solidly a Hanshin Tiger) This is added to my "I hate franchises" list of unique owner operated businesses. read more

Saké Nomi - Storefront - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

You have probably walked by this place 100 times and not realized that there is a sake bar behind an unassuming door in Pioneer Square. The signage is terrible, there is currently construction everywhere, and you don't really know what you're getting into until you walk inside. I was pleasantly surprised by the knowledge of the staff and the breadth of their sake offerings. If you've never had sake before, ask plenty of questions and the staff will guide you. There are options for "flights" to try several different styles. Kanpai! read more

See all

Fantastic selection and the owner is knowledgeable and also lovely. Had a great time. Highly recommend the tasting flights.

We make sure to visit this place a few times each week when we're in town. They have a wide selection of drinks and a weekly rotational tasting menu. The atmosphere is nice for a quiet time alone or to quietly chat with some friends. If you're not used to this environment you might be put off expecting an American bar scene so adjust your mindset. For anyone interested in the sake experience, this is the place to go. There's nothing quite like it on the West Coast. read more

Man I love this place. Hidden in little bit of a rough area in pioneer square, this shop is a magical little realm all its own. You walk in to a place filled with sake bottles, boxes, and all kind of Japanese decor with a homey smell and a comforting atmosphere. The owner is this great chill guy who lived in Japan for many years growing up and came back to Seattle to open this fantastic little spot showcasing and selling all kinds of sake. Every week is a different tasting menu of about 8 different sakes, all very interesting and delicious. Every time I come to Seattle I try to stop by and get them all and just hang out with the owner who makes you feel like a friend while you watch documentaries on Japan, sumo, and all manners of fun video. I wish sake had more traction in American culture because even though it is nuanced it is flavorful and varied. Here's hoping to a rise in popularity and awareness that Sake Nomi is the best stop for sake! read more

See all

Don't know much about Sake? Love it and want to be around others that do? Come to Sake Nomi for a tasting, and maybe walk away with a few bottles! I was there for a tasting with 15-20 Yelpers, and had a great time. They let us bring some food to munch on and we enjoyed learning about the different types of Sake while sampling five different ones. After I finished sampling them all, I picked my favorite and purchased a big cup of it. Mmm. Sake. I am still very inexperienced when it comes to Sake, but I'm pretty sure I like it, and I'm quite sure I'll have to drop by this pretty-easy-to-stumble-into spot for more tastings (or just a cup) in the future! read more

Great selection of sake and tasting flights. Got to learn a little more about sake and did a couple of flights. read more

Saké Nomi - a wall full of books - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

It's always a pleasure to see a passion project become a successful business. At Sake Nomi, one man's adventure to Japan has become a long-standing Pioneer Square sake bar, which to be honest, is not something you see everyday in the U.S., let alone in Seattle. Sake Nomi is kind of a traditional spot: warm woods, Japanese textiles, simple but elegant atmosphere. It's not very bar-like in many ways, except that this is bar, and a bar that serves only sake. The setting is a balance of low-key, graceful and refined. The hospitality is friendly. You will likely hear the owner's story of living abroad, teaching English, learning a lot about sake, and coming home with dreams of spreading the gospel. A pioneer in Pioneer Square: spreading a message of sake to the masses. Beyond graduating to not ordering crappy hot sake in the last decade, many of the finer nuances of sake are outside of my wheelhouse, but its fun trying, and nice to check out an original business, especially one as enjoyable as this one. read more

The best store to buy sake in the area - they really came through for us for our wedding (we did a sake toast instead of a champagne toast - the owner helped us select a crowd-pleasing option that we could lay hands on in a large quantity). Highly recommend! read more

It's like wine tasting, but it's yummy sake instead. Very fun. You taste 10 sakes for $5. A good bottle of sake can be around $25. So it's not as expensive as a typical wine tasting experience. The owners are relaxed and charming. They plays cult classics like Karate Kid and Shogun. And I don't really like sake that much. (As a Japanese person, I should be ashamed of saying that. I shall commit sepuku.) read more

See all

Rotating tasting menu weekly = must come back weekly... Sumo matches on NHK TV = cool to watch when they air; I wonder what else on NHK they can turn on? A cool, subdued and friendly owner that man Johnnie (Johnny?) is. I stepped out early today and ventured down here for a sake tasting and a crash course basic lesson on sake. The tasting goes well and the rice visual is illustrative. You're allowed to bring in outside food since they have no menu (perhaps snacks?). Sake boxes make for beautiful wall cover. :) A truly cool shop in Pi Sq and the ambient scent reminds me of something I forgot. Cool background music. "Hoooii huuuuuh, " Sumo grunts. P.S. Claims someone broke the men's room door lock; perhaps a temporary fix is putting a sign on the door. read more

Beautiful little sake shop and tasting room in Pioneer Square. The owner/sommelier was knowledgeable and fun to talk to. He showed us an anime magazine that featured Sake Nomi as an homage. The bar itself contains tons of interesting art and memorabilia. I would love to return for some more interesting experiences. read more

Saké Nomi - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Granted a group of rowdy guys already half in the bag isn't the most ideal of patrons. However, we were all pretty cash flush and eager to drink. The owner handed us a sampling menu that wasn't quite what we were looking for. He did say that we could probably get a bottle and sample that. It was my friend's turn to buy the next round so we went with that. The majority of our group had never tasted sake before so it was pretty helpful. He did seem to kind of...um eager to please us so we would leave quickly. There was a couple down at the bar that seemed to be scared or anxious or something. At any rate he got us a bottle of sake. He offered us a bottle that he had just gotten and gave us 10 shot glasses. He obviously is a connoisseur because he bristled at us shooting sake. I said we should because it was pretty obvious that we weren't really wanted and should leave as quickly as possible. The bottle had enough that we each got two rounds of sake shots. We left after that and had a good time at other places. It's definitely a classier establishment and I'm sure I would have a better impression of it if I had say come with a smaller party but with a large, rowdy devil's brigade we were not a good place. read more

One of our favorite bars in Seattle, and by far the best place for saké. They have an excellent selection of bottles, as well. Johnnie is friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Their new space on Cherry Street is a great date spot: ample seating, beautiful lighting, and usually quiet. read more

See all

Sit down and let Johnny fill you with sake knowledge bombs. Even if you don't drink sake regularly, it's worth the visit read more

Seattle is incredibly lucky to have Sake Nomi, because it is one of the few places in the country where you can Learn about Sake, Drink Sake at a bar, and buy the highest quality Sake available in the United States. Johnnie will be happy to teach you anything you ever wanted to know about sake. It's a very interesting subject, and is surprisingly deep. Johnnie will also be happy to serve you sake at the bar. Every week, there's a different menu with 6 selections, and you can enjoy a sample of all 6 for a reasonable price. Johnnie will also be delighted to sell you bottles of sake. Every week something new comes in. Since sake is produced and available at different times of the year, Sake Nomi is one of the only places where you can enjoy the changes of the season via sake. I have spent a lot of time and money at Sake Nomi, and I will continue to do so because it's worth every penny and every moment. Visiting Sake Nomi is a unique experience and it really ought to become a MUST do for tourists as well, since there's so few other places like it outside of Japan. read more

I am reviewing the tasting experience: The tastings are $5 per person for 6 tastings tonight. Fee for tastings waived with purchase. I went with my bf expecting to go taste sake and then get the $10 (for two) tasting fee waived if we made a purchase, as advertised. We purchased a bottle of sake that cost $38. For this, one tasting was waived. Bringing us to $$43+tax. This is sake we purchased sold for $12 a glass. Had we each purchased a glass each we would have spent a total of $24+tax. What I find upsetting as a customer was the unwillingness to waive the entirety of a $10 fee especially if you're already covering your tax costs. The only offer of an exception was offered after our purchase had been entered and the receipt was ready to sign...more of an inconvenience than it was worth because I understood I wasn't valued as a repeat customer. We spent more and got less of a perk for the expenditure. For this, I will not come back here and cannot recommend the establishment. read more

This is one of only THREE dedicated sake retailers in the US! The others are in New York and San Francisco... I think they have a nice little niche. This place is all about educating folks about sake, from the right way to pronounce it (I don't think it's been too long since I was mis-pronouncing it sahkee!) to the fascinating process of how it's made. The owners are very friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed the tasting (free, and three kinds) and the clean ambiance. I think it is a great place to pick up a thoughtful gift , it's just like a wine bar but with sake! You might not pick up a bottle to go with dinner, but you might pick something up to bring to a dinner party. The only thing that gave me pause was the way the space itself is laid out. I didn't feel comfortable at the bar... because you are literally right next to the retail space where there are people wandering looking at the shelves of sake. I think that they would get a nice crowd in there if they actually made it more of a bar... I think people would hang out and probably buy more sake. :) BUT, that is just my two cents! I think it's a lovely place. The end. read more

I guess those $8 bottles of Sake I had been buying at Uwajimaya did not cut it. Came to Michele's UYE for Sake tasting with the Food X Crew. It was $5 and you had a taste of 6 Sakes. By the time we arrived the place was over run by drunk yelpers. The joy of drunk people surrounded us. A siting of the lost Peter H. We had the corner table ..so Johnny filled some glasses and let some of us begin the tasting. As we all chatted among our selves. The camaraderie of laughter and joking emitted from our group. Unfortunately Johnny had to handle the large group, so the personalization and expertise he is known for did not reach our section. As i was to busy talking..everyone was done and decided to the next venue. Aaron recommended Umi. So I had to tell Johnny give me the rest in shots. 4 sakes go down fast . Slap the payment for the tasting. And I run after the group. To much Sake to take in. Just give me the one that tastes like strawberries. You need high end sake.. go see Johnny at Sake Nomi. read more

As some have said, it is the only saké store in Seattle. Other than what Uwajimaya sells. Johnny and Taiko are awesome! They really care that the people who come in leave knowing more about saké than when they came in. They are the kind of people that make great teachers. They have a love and a passion for their trade and want to impart that to others. I'm on their email list and keep hearing about all the fun events they do that I haven't been able to make it to for one reason or another. Wii bowling and movie nights! Learn how to make sushi classes and saké golf tournaments. What other business does that for their patrons!? Hands down a favorite place of mine. I just wish I could go in and not buy saké, but I love it too much and they always have something new and exciting to try. Two thumbs and two big toes way way up for Saké Nomi! read more

What a find! Hidden in Pioneer Square... this gem is a retail store/ tasting bar/ Sake museum for Sake lovers! Nothing but Sake... rack after rack ranging from $20-$250 per bottle! Lots of informative books and brochures too so you can learn better about Sake. The owner Johnny... a very knowledgeable Sake sommelier is a nice fellow... always willing to talk about Sake. The ambiance is cool, plays hip jazz, & old school Ultra-Man on the tube! I enjoyed my visit! Next time I head out to Pioneer Square, I'll just pick-up my sashimi to go and head straight here! ;) read more

I'm a beginner of Sake and can't critique much on the selections or quality of Sake. But I sure had a good experience trying out different beer and Sake with my friend. The ambience is perfect and I liked the display of Sake bottles and arts on the wall. I also like the Sake menu with a brief explanation of the taste for a beginner like me. The place was not busy on Thursday night so we had a good chunk of time to talk with the owner who is knowledgeble and fun to talk with. I'd definitely come back here again with my friends. read more

See all

Hands down the best sake you'll find in seattle, and on top of that a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere. The owner Johnnie is friendly and extremely knowledgable, and will gladly educate you if you've an interest. If not, he's very non-judgmental, and first-time sake drinkers will feel welcome. Come in, have a drink, and find out exactly how good real sake can be. read more

I've been coming here for the past 10 years. And you can't beat Sake Nomi for some the better tasting sake in the Seattle area. read more

Saké Nomi - A great place to try Sake. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Seattle, Washington