We came here for lunch on a Tuesday and ordered the salmon lover bento ($22) which also came with miso soup, the watami on king roll ($18) and the rice paper roll ($12). The salmon was fresh and we loved the uniqueness of the rice paper rolls, however I was a bit disappointed at it only coming with 4 pieces. The service was quick and friendly and we loved the atmosphere and ambiance of the restaurant. Definitely a great spot to check out in Uptown, though a bit more pricey than some other sushi spots. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Salmon Lover Bento - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Services are good and food is good. Reasonably priced. You can easily walk passed it without knowing it is there.

Went with a Japanese co-worker to try this place. I felt like I was stepping into a restaurant in Nagoya or Tokyo. Very authentic experience. They even greeted my co-worker in Japanese. But fear not, their English is perfect as well! The menu itself is very straight-forward. Appetizers and sushi rolls, some nigiri, and a modest selection of entrees. We started with appetizers - chicken karaage and gindara (grilled miso black cod). Both were delicious! First time I had tried gindara - would absolutely get that again. For my entree, I ordered their katsu don, which is a deep fried pork cutlet served over mixed rice with veggies and fried egg with a dashi sauce. Very good! We split a couple of pots of green tea for drinks. The tea had a wonderful subtle flavor. For dessert, we tried red bean pancakes with vanilla ice cream. So good! The service was very good, and I found the price very reasonable. Would absolutely try this one again! read more

it is difficult to find a good sushi place in waterloo, but this place beats that! the sashimi in the fish bowl was very fresh and sliced thinly with a light and subtle flavour that melted in our mouth with the sauce on top. the tempura had a light crispy batter covered on the shrimp and a variety of vegetables. though it was a bit on the pricey end, it was very much worth it! read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - fish bowl and assorted tempura - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

First time visiting Watami Sushi this month and I was excited to try because I've heard good reviews on their fish quality. I made reservations for 2 people on a Saturday and was so glad I did because they were busy! The restaurant itself is quite small and very limited seating. We ordered quite a bit: - Chef's choice sashimi platter (20 pcs) - Chef's choice 8 piece nigiri set with toro maki - Salmon Oshizushi - 2 miso soups with mixed mushrooms Everything came to $100 even after tax (~ $50/person before tip). The service was a little slow here and we were kind of disappointed. After our order was taken, other tables were seated and their order was taken after us. But somehow, they received their food before us and very quickly. We were super confused because the items they ordered were the same as ours. We had requested our miso soups with the rest of our order but it ended up coming out first. So when we received our miso soups, we thought...ok so they must have for sure punched in our order. But it felt like they forgot because we didn't receive our food until 40-45 minutes later (which is a ridiculous amount of time for raw fish). Our service was also not the greatest and it felt rushed, no refills on water, no checking up on how we were doing. If the service was good, this place would have deserved a 5 star rating! Despite the slow service, the food was fantastic. My favourite pieces would probably be the salmon belly and fatty tuna sashimi. You can definitely taste the difference in the quality of the fish compared to AYCE sushi. One thing I wasn't a fan of was the uni nigiri (sea urchin). The texture was great - very buttery and melted in our mouth. But the taste wasn't fresh, very fishy and salty. I've had good quality uni before and this was far from it. A second item we weren't a fan of was the miso soup. We both love mushrooms but there was so much in our soup, it kind of overpowered the miso flavour. I guess I just like my soup more simple and not a burst of mushrooms. Despite the service, I would definitely give this place another visit in the future. read more

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Actually open at 12:00 noon on a Tuesday, Yelp stated 11:30. Lots of places hours were effected by Covid when we walked down so it's with a call down first. Food quality was excellent and service was good. If you want Uni they said try Wednesday and onward as it sells out. They have A5 Waygu for a price. But overall good experience with good quality food. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Chicken and a black dragon roll - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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My favourite sushi place of all time! My favourite appetizer is the grilled pork cheeks, they are seasoned and they are so yummy! It is a good portion size and they are so chewy. I always get their sushi rolls and I usually get their Jade roll and their Ice and fire roll. For the Jade roll, they do not have rice in this sushi roll. The crab meat and the salmon are rolled with sliced cucumber, it is a very fresh sushi. The ice and fire roll is my favourite sushi roll of this restaurant. It takes some time to come but it is worth it! It is a bit spicy and hot and it is covered in crispy crumbles. I got their chicken Katsu as well, it is very well made but we find that the sauce is a bit too salty. They also have some veggies and rice with the Katsu so it balances out! It is very yummy. read more

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Tucked away in Uptown Waterloo, Watami is a quiet, jewel-box of a restaurant. Watami offers a wide selection of unique, contemporary Japanese cuisine. Their Chef's Choice Sashimi ($45) features 20 pieces of fresh assorted sashimi. The salmon sashimi is incredibly rich and melts your mouth with a lingering taste of the ocean. In every bite of Watami's sushi, you'll find the pleasant amalgamation of flavours from land and sea. My favourite sushi rolls include: - Rice Paper Roll ($9) - spicy salmon, avocado, crab, shrimp tempura, and lettuce - Saba Oshizushi ($13) - blow-torched mackerel pressed sushi - Ginger Wasabi Roll ($14) - ginger, wasabi, cucumber and tobiko wrapped with sal The interior is blended with a modern, yet rustic Asian flare. Wooden accents are juxtaposed by the dim sophistication, a perfect night for a casual dinner, or a romantic escape. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Sashimi and sushi was fresh and delicious. Prices are more expensive but its is one of the higher quality sushi restaurants in Waterloo. Service was good and restaurant was clean. The restaurant isn't super big and is usually quite busy so make sure you come earlier. read more

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The food was really delicious and fresh, and the ambience of the restaurant was great. Didn't eat much but I'm planning on coming again to try more things on the menu. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Nigiri set - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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The covid check-in was flawless. Protocols were followed well. The interior design of the place is very aesthetically pleasing and Instagram worthy! In terms of the food, it is on the pricier side. The salmon sushi was worth it and well made but the katsudon was not worth the price. The quality of the salmon sushi is much better than the other places around town. Overall, the service was good and the place is Instagram worthy but it's overpriced for what you get. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - House tea (extra) - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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By far the best Sushi place I have been to in the Waterloo/Kitchener region, the price is also not very bad for what you get. I have ordered multiple times at this restaurant during the pandemic. They have made it very easy to order online and pick up at your selected time - they are also very quick to text/call you should they not have the item you requested in stock (promote refund as well). I have ordered many things here, their sashimi is very, very fresh, I can't get enough of it! Can't go wrong with their 20pc chef selection sashimi (usually get more than 20 pieces!). Other items to try include their Buta Shioyaki (grilled pork cheeks), the char on it is soooo good, and I strongly recommend their Hon Maguro Carpaccio (bluefin tuna), IT IS SO GOOD, and the price is decent for the amount you get! I've also had their salmon oshizushi (pressed sushi), it was alright, not the best, a bit hefty on the rice (rice was also a bit under cooked - possible ordered too early!). Furthermore, for keto/low carb folks, they have a rice paper roll (which is very good and filling - four pieces), and also the jade roll (wrapped with cucumber - super keto friendly)!! read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Salmon pressed sushi and seared bluefin tuna sashimi - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Ate here once and loved it. Everything was very fresh and delicious. My favourite was the fire and ice roll. Only thing I wouldn't order again is the middle sake (refer to photo 1). read more

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Watami is back and it's doing better than ever! So excited to have this quality sushi option available in uptown Waterloo. My friend and I visited here for dinner on a quiet Wednesday night and were seated immediately. The space is a lot smaller than their previous place, but I like the cozy, minimalist feel. It's also very cute -- I love the illustrated chalkboard wall! Service was attentive and food came out promptly. I ordered the salmon sashimi don which was beautifully presented, plentiful with thick cuts of quality salmon and lots of roe. This is not your usual don, but my perhaps unrefined palate found it a tad lacking in flavour in its entirety -- especially the rice. Nevertheless I look forward to trying out more of their options in future. The staff were at a table nearby having their own dinner, and I have to say, that looked really good! read more

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There's a second Watami Sushi just north of Toronto, in Markham. The family expanded here to try and attract Waterloo students. And I must say, thank god they chose here. Anyway, where do I start...everything is simply outstanding. The ambience, environment, FOOD!, service. Definitely try the Las Vegas Roll and Watami on King, the creativity is out of this world. Easily, and I mean EASILY the best sushi bar in Waterloo. PS: Waterloo students get 10% discount. Notify the waiter/resses beforehand though. read more

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Went here for a birthday dinner and enjoyed a variety of appetizers and sushi rolls, including the Las Vegas roll. Definitely would recommend the melt-in-your-mouth albacore tuna. We'll be back. read more

My boyfriend and I come here on a number of occasions simply because this is the best sit down sushi in Waterloo. Great ambience, higher quality sushi than most. They are known for their sushi. The ramen and donburi dishes are pretty average, since as others have said, this is more of a Chinese-Japanese restaurant (as they are owned by Chinese). We like getting the tex-mex, watami on king, and the ice & fire which are crazier fusion rolls. We enjoy their sake menu from time to time (house hot sake is great, definitely give that a try!) They do great when it comes to small parties (2-4) but we've had issues when eating with larger parties. I've reserved for 12 before and they took a very long time to prepare everyone's dishes. We also came for a student club event (group of 20ish) and it took a long time to serve everyone. Half the table had their mains, and the other half had to wait another 5-10 min for theirs. By the time our half was done eating, we had to wait for the other half to finish their plates. Their chairs have been pretty worn down over the years -- you tend to sink into the seat and feel that you are not at the correct height to eat your meal. Overall though, we enjoy coming here for a normal non-AYCE sushi experience. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Went to Watami for a quick birthday lunch. Decor was beautiful, but it took them a while to greet us at the door. We got seated and waited for a good 15 minutes until they came back to take our order. The only problem to this was that we were the only ones in the restaurant ; shouldn't have had to wait that long for water. Ordered the love boat for 2; it took them a good half an hour to prep the sashimi and sushi for us. It was fresh and very delicious though. Also ordered a chicken karaage; crispy and tasty. I would definitely go again but would go for dinner, not a quick lunch. They also have uni, which I'm pretty excited to try. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Sushi and sashimi love boat for two - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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We've been looking for a new non-AYCE sushi spot in Waterloo/Kitchener since the decline of Ken sushi's quality over the years, and after two visits here, we can safely say that Watami is our new go-to! The sashimi is high quality, and the rolls are large, beautiful, and delicious! I must say that the prices are moderately high (comparable to Ken sushi) and can be even higher for specials, but I've gotten large portions and great quality from my orders here-- and am especially excited to come back to try more rolls! I love the fire and ice roll! read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Lunch menu - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Hidden gem in uptown Waterloo! Very great atmosphere with even greater service and food. Everything ordered was made to perfection. The seasonal specials are fun to try out, I would recommend the wagyu. read more

The sushi was great but my boyfriend ordered one of the chicken don and it was wayyy too salty! We just decided to go home and he didn't even wanna finish his food. I tried it a few hours later and it was indeed too salty even for someone how regularly eat salty and sweet food. read more

This is not an "all you can eat buffet" contrary to a recommendation from Yelp. I want to be fair that I have nothing bad to say about the restaurant. just that the Yelp listing is incorrect. read more

Ordered Ice n Fire Roll and Salmon Oshizushi, the former was tasty but the latter was insipid, especially the rice in it was tough. Their service was like no service. read more

I consider Watami to be one of the best sushi experiences in the KW area. I've had the 24 pc assorted sashimi at least 5 times, and it has been amazingly fresh and flavorful every time. Other favorites include the house special Volcano Salad (be warned you will end up having VS cravings which will require you to come back to Watami). Wasabi ginger, scallop, and fire and ice rolls are wonderful too. Top quality ingredients, attentive services, and beautiful presentation will have you coming back again and again. Yes, it's more expensive than the all you can eat (AYCE) places, and that seems to turn people off, but you're still getting a VALUE based on top quality fish. You wouldn't go to an all you can eat steak restaurant, so why do people go to AYCE sushi? read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Watami Menu Item - C24 - Bakes Scallop Roll - pan fried crop scallop & mushroom on top of the California roll. - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Watami is beautiful. I've been to sushi bars and ayce in the past, but this simply stands out as the best. The dragon rolls are meticulously crafted to perfection and the sashimi melts your heart. At first the prices will look daunting, but with some reasoning you will understand that it all adds to bliss. Let's do some math. For the same amount of money as you would spend at a sushi buffet, you can enjoy premium sushi that will fill your stomach and make your taste buds fall in love. Like a lot students, most if my sushi experiences were from the variety of all you can eat sushi places. If you asked me how they tasted or if I liked it, I would tell that I really enjoyed it. At these places we have the instinct to order as much mediocre sushi as possible. Do you remember the time you almost tipped over? Don't you remember pushing sushi down your throat? You can't forget the time you ordered too much and had to hide it all in the teapot! In the end, AYCE sushi leaves you 5 pounds heavier and full of regret. On the other hand Watami truely is a different experience, it really is something everyone should try. You will cherish every bite and remember every moment. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Red Dragon - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

Highly recommend Watami for your next sushi craving. It is very comparable to Vancouver sushi. It is expensive but definitely worth it. These are the items we have ordered in the past and recommend: - Shiro Maguro Carpaccio - Salmon Oshizushi - Saba Oshizushi - Sashimi Selection 20pc read more

Best sushi in the region in my opinion - and I've been to most. You won't be disappointed!

Good food, bad services The quality of sashimi is pretty good, but somewhat overpriced The Don not really special, it tastes ok The decoration so nice and cute The staff not very friendly read more

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Nope, not worth the extra price to come here vs. going to an AYCE establishment. We ordered the baked scallop sushi and ice and fire and the taste was average. The portions were small too, the size of the sushi were the same as take out sushi and the cost was 13.95 per dish for 8 sushi...total rip off right there. The baked scallop sauce wasn't even hot when we got the dish. We also ordered the unagi rice which the unagi was delicious, which is what saves me from giving this place a 1 star rating. The bill came in total of like 55 with tax and tips shared between 2 people. That's over 25 per person for lunch while we could have gotten an AYCE elsewhere for only 15. Not coming back ever again. read more

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For the past few years I have been getting my sushi/sashimi fix from all you can eat joints. Knowing the quality of those joints, I knew I was in for a huge treat by coming to a legitimate sushi bar. The atmosphere is very intimate and is great for date nights and small group get togethers. Onto the main course: - 24 piece sashimi - summer roll - scallop roll - wasabi ginger roll All of the rolls were fantastic and the sushi chefs here are top notch! 4 Stars, though I almost wish they hadn't been so successful...I will never look at AYCE the same way ever again =P read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Ginger wasabi roll - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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This place is awesome. The service was excellent. We were given explanations for everything and recommended dishes. The ginger tea is was quite alive with hot ginger flavour. Next time I'll try the Rosebud tea. Everything was delicious and the food came out quickly. Would definitely recommend. read more

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In my opinion, I think this place is overhyped. I came here based on all the good things I've heard, but quite honestly disappointed with my experience. When I went, it was fairly late maybe around 9:30 and there was barely anyone. I wasnt too hungry so I went with the mixed tempura appetizer, the agedashi tofu and the (recommended by our waiter) fire and ice roll. Tempura was good, very crispy and had your average mixed vegetables and shrimp. (2 yams, 2 squashs, 2 shrimps, 1 eggplant, and taro) I found the crunchy exterior of the agedashi tofu quite soft but overall pretty good. Finally the roll came. It was drenched in sauce and the sushi was falling apart when you pick it up. I think there could have been less breadcrumbs, all I tasted was breadcrumbs and sauce. Where was the sushi?! Couldn't taste it very well under everything else. This place is also very expensive. I ordered 3 things and it came close to $30.00 ($30 with tip). Overall it was okay; although overhyped. read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Agedashi tofu - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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They are closed on Mondays. The first time we tried to go, they were closed. :( Party of 2, weekend dinner. Service here is good. Ordered 1) Baked Scallop Roll: Look at a picture, and it's not very appetizing. It looks like slop on top of a california roll (which I guess it is). There is not much scallop, there are overwhelming amounts of mushroom in it (I like mushrooms fortunately). This is by far my favourite roll (ever), the mixture of mayo, scallop, mushrooms, california roll and soy sauce was very very delicious. Too bad about the $12.95 price vs the lack of scallop though, but I would still recommend it despite this. 2) Salmon Salad Roll: This is cheaper than the othe maki because there are four pieces (note there is no rice). Very large chunks of salmon and finely cut cucumber wrapping the roll on the outside. It is very delicately made and quite impressive. It is good, but I personally prefer the taste of the baked scallop roll more. 3) Unagi-don was very dry, both the eel and the rice and was not enjoyable. I would not recommend this. 4) Chicken udon soup: It was good. The chicken is tough, the soup tastes good and it also comes with a few chunks each of broccoli, mushrooms and a healthy amount of onions! read more

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Solo'd Watami earlier this week on a Wednesday evening. It was a quiet evening in the restaurant - 3 other tables of patrons (2 couples, and another solo diner). SAKE Their Sake selection is pretty extensive (which.. now makes sense given they call out 'Sake Bar' in their name). They were out of cheaper cold sakes so I went with a $25 KIKUSUI PERFECT SNOW (unfiltered) sake. It was very rich in flavour and sweet -- I wasn't really expecting that level of sugar and/or alcohol. I struggled to finish the whole bottle long after my meal was done. FOOD I was more hungry than usual this particular evening, so I really struggled with deciding what I wanted to eat. My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach still. I landed on the BLACK COD ENTREE. I was expecting the meal to come out in a Bento-style box, but instead it came on a large plate with 3 very generous portions of COD, served with stir-fried vegetables in a not-overly-sweet teriyaki sauce with a (VERY SMALL) portion of rice. The cod was DELICIOUS and the vegetables were good too. My only complaint would be that I found the rice portion to be rather tiny. I think it is just something for me to keep in mind if I ever want to order another entree-type dish. OVERALL A good meal. I would like to come back again (on separate occasions) to try their sushi again - and I always like a hot bowl of udon noodle soup especially as summer winds down and it gets chillier. Check out Watami Sushi & Sake Bar and let me know your thoughts on the place! read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Cod Fish Entree - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I've only ever gotten takeout, but I absolutely LOVE the sushi here. The rolls are packed with fresh salmon, tuna etc. My favourites are - Ice and Fire Watami on King Spicy tuna The sushi chefs also put a lot of care into each piece, with assorted fish eggs on top and a generous drizzle of sauce. Overall this is one of my absolute favourite sushi spots, and I'll definitely try and come here more often, maybe even try eating in! read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - 8 sushi rolls, came to around $74. SO GOOD! - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

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Such a beautiful little restaurant with perfect portions and really good food! The display of the dishes are really well done and the food itself is so great! The staff are really sweet and friendly! The preparation is so quick but you can also see the hard work that went into the dish prep. A really nice environment, absolutely enjoyed every moment of this place! read more

Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - Amazing Tempuras and udon soup! - Japanese Near Me - Waterloo, Ontario

I have never noticed this restaurant on king before. Found this restaurant on yelp after searching near by sushi restaurants. Their sushi dishes are very unique and delicious, will definitely be back to try the other menu items. read more

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Super good sushi! Super fresh, great variety for bento. I brought my friends from Toronto here and they love it!! read more

They're new location is right across their old location. Still nicely renovated, still good sushi. Great for a date night!

They didn't have many of the typical roll options I usually prefer, but I did l enjoy the jade roll and fire and ice roll. The tempura appetizer was great and I also really enjoyed the homemade ginger soda. read more