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    Watami Sushi & Sake Bar

    4.0 (100 reviews)
    ModerateJapanese
    Open 11:30 am - 10:30 pm

    Watami Sushi & Sake Bar Photos

    Business Info

    WATAMI SUSHI & SAKE BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Watami Sushi & Sake Bar

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    fish bowl and assorted tempura
    Tiffany C.

    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!

    Miso soup with mixed mushrooms.
    Lisa T.

    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.

    Chicken and a black dragon roll
    Quantumsix100 ..

    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.

    Chicken Katsu
    Vanessa H.

    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.

    Rency L.

    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.

    Isabelle C.

    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.

    Nigiri set
    Leanne L.

    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.

    House tea (extra)
    LV H.

    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.

    Salmon pressed sushi and seared bluefin tuna sashimi
    Shannon C.

    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)!!

    Sake flight
    Morissa E.

    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).

    Salmon Sashimi Don
    Kira V.

    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!

    The salmon rose roll in the Salmon Lover's Set.
    Calvin S.

    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.

    Elisa L.

    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.

    Sushi and sashimi love boat for two

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    8 months ago

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    7 months ago

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

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    2 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

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

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    6 years ago

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

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    Gyubee Japanese Grill - Waterloo - Food and table

    Gyubee Japanese Grill - Waterloo

    2.8(9 reviews)
    1.3 km
    $$$

    This is of my favorite places to eat at with my son. We love the meats! It's a little bit pricey…read morebut for all you can eat, it's a good value.

    We were excited to try the Waterloo location since we love going to Gyubee in Toronto. However, we…read morewere quite disappointed after our experience this past week eating here. It wasn't a full house but there were a decent amount of customers dining in for lunch service. All the other locations I've been to in Toronto, their service is quick and efficient and we would receive everything we ordered in a timely manner. The Waterloo location - the service is slow, we are constantly trying to get servers attention to order, our items would either be missing or delayed for a while before coming, and some of our orders would come out in very small portions. For example, we would order 5 orders of a miso marinated beef plate but only 1 order would come out. Or we would order sushi but it would not come out until after we placed a few more orders ~30-40 minutes. We would ask and follow up about it but our server would say the chef probably forgot and then re-order for us. We would end up getting both the first and second order, so double the sushi when we only wanted 1. This not only happened once, but twice and we had to eat more sushi than we wanted. For the small meat portions, we asked why the portion is so small for 5 orders, the servers would respond that the kitchen only gives out one order at a time and we need to keep flagging our server to enter more later. But this was not how other Gyubee locations do it, we would receive all 5 orders at once. Also, it is a hassle for us customers having to call our servers constantly to order more - one at a time. Very inefficient for the servers. Our other servers didn't even inform us about this when we would say 5 orders of the item. Until we confronted a different server, they told us that's how the system works at their location. Our group was thinking maybe this location does it so that customers would end up eating less because they are waiting around for their order to come out more than cooking their meats. When changing the grills, they looked inexperienced as they were struggling to hold the old dirty one. Oils would drip down into our waters and food during the change. The food was decent but we did notice the quality went down - less sauce on the meats and the thicker cut beef was a bit tough. After our poor experience here, I'm not sure if we would go back to this location. Hoping they can improve on their service to provide customers and servers a better experience.

    Photos
    Gyubee Japanese Grill - Waterloo - Table for 2

    Table for 2

    Gyubee Japanese Grill - Waterloo
    Gyubee Japanese Grill - Waterloo - Sushi

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    Sushi

    Jinzakaya - Edamame and deep fried tofu.

    Jinzakaya

    3.9(36 reviews)
    0.2 km

    Jinzakaya and Kinka Izakaya are Waterloo staples - 5 years ago, I savoured every chance I got to…read moreeat at these restaurants! Still amazing AYCE spots, but I'm probably just not built to take full advantage of the massive menu here. We came around lunch time and ordered the dinner menu, since there are a couple cannot-be-missed dishes that aren't on the lunch menu. Their strength compared to other AYCE restaurants is definitely their non-sushi options - the carpaccio, skewers, grilled shrimp, steamed egg, and beef roll with enoki mushroom are some of my favourites. I think the only thing that gives me pause is the price tag - $40.99 is a lot, especially for a student. You would have to really stuff yourself to make that value worth it. I do wish they had a couple of the chef favourites on the lunch menu so that people trying to have a cheaper meal could also try those items. Overall, it's probably still the best AYCE sushi in Waterloo. The quality is great and the dishes are tasty. Service was also pretty good, they have you write your order on a paper. I think one or two items were missed but we had no issue with following up on them.

    Jinzakaya has loads of options to choose from on their all you can eat menu. There's a large…read morevariety of sushi and sashimi and their fish tastes fresh. They also provide pretty thick slices of fish. The service was amazing we had a very nice waitress who was nice and really attentive. The interior of the restaurant is decorated very well. Overall this a very good spot for sushi.

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    Jinzakaya - Restaurant interior

    Restaurant interior

    Jinzakaya - KitKat bar.

    KitKat bar.

    Jinzakaya

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    Hot Pot Noodle

    Hot Pot Noodle

    5.0(1 review)
    1.9 km

    *4.5* stars This…read morerestaurant has a very unique taste and dishes that aren't really seen anywhere else in the KW region (not that I'm aware of at least!) I saw it on Ubereats and saw there was a BOGO going on so I ordered it. I was pleasantly surprised at the complexity and variety of dishes they had! If you crave Asian food, I definitely recommend this place. This place seems to primarily be for hotpot, but I can understand with covid it's harder to see that side right now. Nonetheless, they have many options outside their hotpot as well. I got the seafood with vermecilli noodles for my partner and a Mala spice with fish noodles for myself. The beef pho was a BOGO option so I got them for tomorrow's meal. (the BOGO list was quite limited). They were delicious and I found the portion sizing to be quite nice! The soup was very very flavorful and hits the spot. Again something that I haven't found in the KW area at all until now and would crave (since it can be found commonly back home in Toronto) Packaging, wait time and everything was fine. Why it's not a perfect score is because of its price point. It's a lot pricier than some other places. Their primary feature is hotpot and noodles. The hotpot options seemed fairly nice but there's also a few other hotpot places just around the corner too. With the noodles, you can get the same large portion (but different noodle type, same richness in broth though) for half the price that they set it at here. I personally see this place as somewhere I'd get ever so often, or special occasions only. For student prices, I'd probably look to go elsewhere. However, you can't deny how good their broth is, so it's not a big enough deal to knock off a star completely.

    Photos
    Hot Pot Noodle
    Hot Pot Noodle
    Hot Pot Noodle

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    Watami Sushi & Sake Bar - japanese - Updated May 2026

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