Am I the only one that thinks the sushis in their take out boxe are fishy and too salty? I was quite disappointed : ( read more

Wataru - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This will sound like a bold statement, but I can safely say my experience at Wataru was like a night out of Japan (and for the record, I've been to Japan twice now, and have yet to find a spot that compares to the quality of fish, service, and presentation of food and drinks). A few disclaimers before I go into the omakase food experience: 1) It is VERY competitive to get a reservation here - if Seattle had a sushi restaurant lottery, this would be it. I was lucky enough to have a friend who stayed up until midnight (I'm lame and sleep at 10), to call and ask for availability for a January reservation back in October (3 months in advance, folks). Even that was risky, but we were lucky enough to get it. 2) The sushi bar seating omakase is the way to go, but be prepared to spend $$. We're talking $50 deposit, $150 meal (with sake), per person. It's worth every penny, promise. 3) There are only 2 seatings nightly for the sushi bar with Chef Kotaro Kumita - 5:30 and 7:45 pm. Be on time if you get a spot, because there usually is at least one other party who will be joining you (depending on how big your party size is, I think there were 6 spots total, but worth fact checking me on that one), and the chef starts promptly at that time (like any restaurant in Japan, which always respects punctuality, not tardiness). 4) Sake is some of the best I've had in the states here. If you go, try any of the Dai Ginjo. The waiters have good recommendations as well, there was a fruity one that I loved, which was so refined you could barely taste the alcohol (how I like it). As for the food, well, I don't know if words do it justice. Since going to Japan, I had yet to find sushi that was comparable in the states, from New York City to Seattle. This sushi was. The quality matches what you'll get in Japan - every slice of fish was fresh, the tastes and textures will make your mouth continue to crave more, and you'll get a wide variety of fish to try - I think we had a total of 22 rolls, all different and unique in their own way. I also can't name one I didn't like. If I haven't sold you yet (and if you're still reading this novel), the chef is also the sweetest man, with true talent. Did I mention he (and this restaurant) was featured in Seattle Weekly? Article here, for reference: https://www.seattleweekly.com/food/the-student-becomes-master-at-wataru/. Oh and his teacher was Shiro Kashiba, trained by Jiro Ono. Need I say more? Be sure to watch the netflix docu "Jiro dreams of sushi" if you haven't already. I'll end with one last note - if you haven't had sushi in Japan, try this place for a taste. If you have had sushi in Japan, come here for a night that will help you get over your separation anxiety from the best sushi in the world. read more

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Food was excellent and fresh. Service was professional, but a bit brusque. I didn't sense a genuine, welcoming, or friendly vibe (upon entrance and throughout table service). The food prices are competitive, while steep for some, quality fish is pricey. Overall, it was a good experience because of the food quality, but I probably won't be coming back. Side note: I checked the combined sales tax rate for 2019 in the 98115 zip code, and it is listed as 10.1%. However, I was overcharged $5. When you add that to the automatic 20% gratuity, I ended up feeling a little cheated. My partner and I are willing to spend a good amount of our hard-earned money on sushi, but I felt we were taken advantage of and left a sour taste in my mouth. ***UPDATE*** Someone pointed out that they taxed the service charge as well (the math adds up). The gratuity should be exempt from tax, so in reality, they're charging an automatic 22% service charge. I wanted to love this place, but there are many other sushi spots in Seattle that offer a more genuine atmosphere with the same quality. read more

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If you want to experience a front row show from Chef Kotaro Kumita, I highly suggest booking at least three months in advanced. Seats at the sushi bar fill up quick and you don't want to miss this. Booked a reservation in early July for mid October at 5:30PM. It was nice showing up a little early to pick our seats. Chef Kotaro Kumita's craftsmanship can't be justified with a review or picture. It is something to be savored and experienced in person. There is no doubt that I walked in unbearably hungry, but left incredibly full and satisfied. The most memorable part about dinner was just talking to him. Now whenever I see or taste yuzu, I think about him telling us that the yuzu he uses is grown in his greenhouse. Also, he was very careful and accommodating for my shellfish allergy. I can not wait to come back! Ps here's some of my favorite shots from dinner. read more

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Wow, I think I just had the best sushi of my life last night! If you come here for a special occasion you HAVE to do the Omakase. The wait fills up quickly (I believe reservations for the beginning of 2019 open up on October 1st). However, you can also request to be put on a cancellation list where they will call you if anyone cancels. The Omakase consisted of 20 items consisting of belly, collar, sea urchin, salmon roe, octopus, geoduck, and the list goes on. The fish was fresh and you can tell the chef put a lot of thought into each piece. I was impressed by the red vinegar, apple wood smoked, matcha, and other items used to give the fish a great taste! It's also about the experience of watching the chef create the sushi, explain where each piece of fish comes from, and answer any questions we had. You definitely need to check this place out! You won't be disappointed. read more

This is a review regarding my experience with their reservation system and speaking with their manager twice. After many searches and reading numerous reviews, we decided we wanted to have our omakase experience at Wataru for our Seattle trip in March. They have an online Yelp reservation system - which is convenient. In the descriptions, it states that sushi bar seatings are by reservation only, at 5:30 and 7:45. However, the reservation times were only given in 30 minutes increments aka 7:45 was not an option. In addition, at this point (December-January 2019) you could only make reservations up to two months in advance. I emailed them on December 27th with a few reservations related questions. While I awaited their response, I marked on my calendar and awaited until the very day I could make the March reservation. They still had not replied, so I went ahead and made the reservation at 8:00 pm and tried to call them. Despite several attempts, I was finally able to reach them today. Here is what happened on the phone: 1. I asked to confirm my reservation, which they did. 2. I explained the time increments situation on Yelp, and the Manager claimed Yelp now allows reservations for up to 6 months in advance. 3. I let him know that when I made my reservation, it was only up to two months and asked when that had happened. 4. He stated that he wasn't sure, but that all sushi bar seatings were fully booked until May. 5. I told them that I had emailed asking exactly about this matter, and he was persistent in just saying that they were fully booked. 6. He offered to call me if a sushi bar reservation fell through and I said thank you. After I got off this first call, I talked with my friend who was planning the trip with me. We had been checking the Yelp time increments since early December and realize that we never heard why the email wasn't responded to. So we call again. 1. The Manager claims that he is sure that there are 15 minute increments, and that if it isn't there it's because someone just took it before us. 2. He says Wataru will look into why the email wasn't answered, and tells me that if I were to look at their future dates that recently opened up, I should see the 7:45 bar seating option. 3. He asks for my name and number and offers again to call if any reservations open up during our time in Seattle. 4. He constantly repeats, someone just got to it before you did. During both calls, I felt like he wasn't taking my questions seriously and that he wasn't knowledgeable about his own institution's reservation system. I looked up reservations for August 2019, and 15 minute increments aren't an option at all. Maybe Wataru is so popular that even when I am checking them right after it hits midnight, someone takes the 7:45 option. But as the Manager claimed, if 15 minute increments are an option, I feel like I should also be seeing 5:45, 6:45 considering I'm not seeing ANY 15 minute increments for reservation times for ANY of their dates. If customers are putting in the extra effort, especially from the other side of the coast, to come to your restaurant, the least Wataru can do is to be courteous over the phone. I understand that reservations can be taken up quickly. Either way, Wataru should be more responsive to their emails, and more knowledgeable about their own reservation system. I felt that the Manager was very condescending over the phone both times and couldn't wait to get me off the line. Even if I ended up going to Wataru and the food was great (as other reviews say), I would be walking in and out with a bad taste in my mouth from the management. What a way to leave a very negative impression over the phone, both times. EDIT: The reservation through Yelp is not the same through mobile and on a desktop/laptop. On the computer, you can still see dates and times up to August. You cannot do this on mobile. Mobile provides reservation times in 15 minute increments, computer only gives 30 minute increments for the same days. Regardless, the Manager I spoke to was not knowledgeable about this or courteous. read more

Wataru - Attaching reservation slots for reference. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I really hate to bring down the vibe about this place but overall the sushi at a sushi bar should speak for itself. If tonight's fish could speak they would be saying "we've been out of the ocean for a long time so be prepared for fishy flavors." The scallop nigiri was good, but quite honestly everything else was uninspired. I recall the middle belly tuna (I usually love ALL tuna btw) being on par with the herring. And the herring was interesting, but not great. The black cod was good - neah bay is close to Seattle so at least that fish was much more fresh and was heavily seasoned/cooked. The rockfish was unmemorable as were the spot prawn nigiri. How do you go wrong with spot prawns?! I don't know either. The ground fish balls in the miso soup weren't bad, but I wouldn't say they were good either. Not my cup of tea I guess. The same ground fish was in the lotus root appetizer - if I had known that was going to be the same thing I would not have ordered it. That being said the server was really knowledgeable about the Kotaro omakase we each ordered and he was pretty good about refilling water. I'd give him a 6/10 on water glass awareness. He did ask if we wanted another carafe of sake when that was empty but my tea sat cold and 3/4 empty for almost an hour before he noticed and brought a fresh kettle over to refill. That brings me to my next point of contention. The first part of the appetizer we ordered + omakase with 8 pieces (7, but the spot prawn was served next to it's fried head) was consumed within the first hour of our arrival. I noted to my dining partner "oh wow only an hour, we are making great time!" The server let us know the second part of the omakase would be out in a "couple of minutes." Then came the awkward 20 minutes of nothing. No water. No tea. Nothing. I pulled out my phone to research office supplies hoping the server would notice this odd behavior at the dinner table and check on what was taking so long behind the curtain and come by. Success! The server went back to talk to the sous chef or sushi master in training and our food came out in the next 10 minutes. Overall I'm disappointed that ordering omakase from the table does not in any way shape or form seem to mirror what the experience is at the bar top, based on the reviews. The sous chef or sushi chef in training here is learning from a master of sushi preparation and the cuts are all coming from the same fish that was trucked in from the best fish markets in the world, right?! Well, something is amiss here. One appetizer, two Kotaro omakases, and one $19 carafe of sake later we left after paying the $180 bill. If it were comparable to Shiro's or Sushi Kashiba I wouldn't have flinched, but for this meal it was simply overpriced. read more

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Honestly, THE BEST sushi I have had in Seattle... and I mean even compared to a sit-in place (I did take-out). Super easy pickup, amazing quality... the ONLY possible thing I wish I could do is customize more in case there was something I didn't like too much. Otherwise, perfect! read more

I had to reserve a month in advance to get omakase at the bar, but it was SO worth it. In terms of quality, I'd say it's comparable to kashiba/shiro's. All the fish we had were really fresh and diverse. Everything just melted in our mouths it was so good. The bar was small and intimate so we were able to easily converse with the chef. Honestly, even though we had to book pretty far out, it's much more convenient this way so we don't have to stand outside in the cold and rain. I'll definitely be back! read more

Wataru - Omakase! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Food: We had the Wataru Omakase for $56. Worth it! Everything was fresh. Many of the fish melt in your mouth. We didn't think it would fill us up, but it sure did. Ambiance: Small restaurant. Bar had about 6 seats. I suggest that you call ahead and make a reservation to guarantee your spot. Overall: Great, affordable omakase experience. I highly recommend it. Tip/heads up: They just switched the reservation program/service, so they called and texted more than 10 times to confirm my reservation, which was very annoying. read more

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Omakase at the bar. If you've watched the famous documentary "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" on Netflix, guarantee you're going to start googling "omakase restaurant" in Seattle. Wataru is like our own little local Jiro Dreams of Sushi spot. The experience is fantastic and the sushi is amazing. Everything is fresh and delicious. The sushi chef is very social and explains where he sourced each of the fish and how it was prepared as he served them piece by piece. Definitely a "treat yoself" experience. Recommend looking up reservations a few weeks in advance leading up to the date. They tend to be booked. Allow a minimum of 1.5 hours for the omakase dinner. read more

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This omakase experience was absolutely worth it. We were able to grab two seats at the bar after others had cancelled their reservations during this snowy weekend. We arrived 15 minutes before our reservation and were seated 5 minutes before the reservation at the bar. We were given warm towels to wipe our hands and a smaller finger towel for in between pieces. We had 24 pieces each, totaling about $150 per person. Everything was so delicious! Chef Kotaru is very attentive to what is going on around the table. He ensures that you always have ginger on your plate and explains what each piece is and where is comes from. It ended up being a 2 hour experience and worth every penny. You could tell the level of quality in the fish and see how much work is put in to make each piece. I loved trying so many cuts and types of fish and hope to be able to return again in the future! read more

Wataru - Omakase appetizer - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Excellent dining experience! Two of us were lucky to get reservations for the sushi bar seats for omakase (the good part about Wataru is, unlike other places, you can request and make reservations specifically for the bar seats). It was really fun talking to Chef Kotaro, learning how he prepared sushi and just sampling various kinds of fresh sushi (some were from domestic while some were from as far as spain). We ended up eating 23 pieces of sushi (albacore, amber jack, chu-toro, flounder, geoduck, king crab, king mackerel, king salmon, o-toro, octopu, red snapper, scallop, sea urchin, shad, sockeye salmon, sweet shrimp (and fried head!), tuna, yellowtail, shima aji and tuna/ikura handroll) and an appetizer of fish, seaweed and gobo. When you finish your omakase, we also got a small piece of ama-tamago...yummy!! and a nice change for dessert to finish our meal as well. All the pieces were super fresh and tender. It was one the best experiences we had dining in Seattle so far. My favorite piece by far was the straw-smoked king mackerel....it was soooo yummy..you can still smell the straw and a little bit of char from the sear. :)~~~ ooo... Note: Make reservation ahead of time and try to get the bar seat if you are up for adventurous dining for traditional sushi! You won't be disappointed! :)...just save 2 seats for us so we can go next time as well! :D read more

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My review is gonna go against what a lot of people are saying but let me preface it with this. I am a sushi lover and I have been to many of the popular sushi restaurants in this area such as Shiro's and had their omakase so this is what I will be comparing it to. 3 stars for the sushi and 4 stars for the ambiance. Being able to sit at the bar and watch him prep sushi was nice. However, the sushi was disappointing. We did the Chef's omakase (which is all nigiri) and for 2 people ater 23 pieces each the bill ended up being ~$180 but what do you really get for that price? 23 pieces of SMALL nigiri and some of it was pretty bland. His sockeye salmon was from Alaska and very red but didn't taste like salmon at all. His Spanish mackerel didn't even taste oily and fishy the way mackerel usually does. The squid was slimy. The octopus which he said was sweet was overly salty. His tamago at the end was terrible. He charges $2.50 for tamago and serves you this thin slice of egg, nothing special compared to the style of tamago at Shiro's. The nigiri that were good were the scallop, red snapper, yellowtail, sea urchin, shad, shrimp. I've have otoro more than once now and this was not the quality I expected. I expect this to melt in my mouth. His fish while it looked fresh didn't have much taste to some of them and my boyfriend did not like the soy sauce he put on top of everything. Shiro's nigiri is about twice the size of these. At Shiro's each piece of fish was long enough to drape onto the wooden cutting board. Here, the fish barely covered the already small ball of rice. We will not be going back. Nov 2016: I have recently done the Omakase at Sushi Kashiba. Wataru is a much more intimate experience and a relaxed pace and beats Sushi Kashiba when it comes to the experience. However, I still think I like the fish at Sushi Kashiba more. read more

Wataru - Chef's omakase. The pictures look better than it tastes - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I had expected a mind blowing omakase experience after waiting for almost 2 months til our reservation date. Alas, Wataru was not the party in my mouth I had experienced at Shiro's, which is still my favorite place for omakase in the US. The sushi bar itself only serves 6 people, with only one sushi chef, which is partly why the wait for an omakase reservation is so darn long. Unlike what some of the other negative reviewers commented on, I thought the service and ambiance were both great- typical upscale Japanese restaurant. However, the fish itself was...eh. Some of the pieces, like the tuna belly, were excellent, but some were subpar, almost like something I would get at a normal Japanese restaurant next door. A friend of mine came for omakase as well about two weeks before me and also didn't have the best time -she said there was a lot of sand in the mussel/clam(?). Verdict: Food (omakase only) - 3 Service - 4 Ambiance - 4 read more

Wataru - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've dined in here and have also gotten takeout during Covid. I've done omakase at Shiro and Kashiba as well, and I think for me, Wataru is my favorite. I loved the artistry that goes into each individual piece of sushi, and love the intimate but cozy vibe. I also love the subtle details, like how all the sake glasses are completely unique and adorable. During Covid they run possibly the best bang for your buck in terms of quality sushi around down. $60 gets you an order of their 10 piece +1 omakase or their chirashi bowl. This has become somewhat of a regular feature in my household and god, each time still makes me drool with anticipation. It's incredible and a helluva deal if you compare with what dine in anywhere for that sort of quality would be. read more

Two reasons for 5 stars: 1) Food. I made reservations for the sushi bar (6 spots total) and had omakase. I didn't love every piece, interesting the tuna and fatty tuna did not wow me, but overall, all pieces were of good quality. I actually really enjoyed amberjack and yellow Jack which aren't usually on my preferred list of nigiri. Prices looked higher on the menu per piece, but the bill at the end ends up being pretty similar to sushi kashiba/Kisaku, etc. For two people (I had 16 pieces, boyfriend probably 20+), it was around $160 I think. 2) The sole sushi chef and owner is awesome. This restaurant is fairly new and he put a lot of heart into getting it going. I loved seeing all the hand picked details in the restaurant like the super cool black plates the Nigiri was served on (you can see the reflection of the sushi, makes for cool pictures). I do feel like he needs another sushi chef bc he was working super fast to serve everyone at the bar and the table orders. It's nice though that eating there is supporting him and not a huge business for people that are already super rich. He previously worked at Kisaku which is where I first ate at and later found out he branched off and opened his own place. read more

Wataru - Omakase - Aji. Such pretty black plate! Fish were all very delicious - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Wataru was on my top want to-go list, but I don't get what's all the hype is about. I've seen on Instagram posts that Wataru was their favorite sushi place in Seattle and was very excited to go. The place is small and crowded, and people at the sushi bar were quite loud. The waitress was very friendly, but the sushi was not that great. We tried all sorts of nigiri, but all were small and tasted not fresh. For the price, I thought that I would get a better quality, but that was wrong. Even the Amaebi fried head was too greasy. How can they get the fried food wrong? Only the sushi roll was okay. Maybe it was because we couldn't get a reservation at the sushi bar. I don't plan on returning and will go back to my go-to sushi place. read more

There are many sushi spots in the Greater Seattle area,but in my opinion only a few who have a mastery over sushi like Wataru does. You can really taste and see the care that is put into your dining experience and food here. I chose to go with the Omakase meal and for $56 plus tax and tip, I would consider that a steal. The fish was fresh, the rice was cooked and seasoned to perfection, and the offerings were unique. None the less I will be returning soon to enjoy sushi here again. Tips: make a reservation because the restaurant is and especially if you are looking to have the full omakase experience with the chef at the bar. I did my experience at a table. read more

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LOVED Wataru. Took my friend here for her late birthday dinner. The place is so small and cute. I love that it wasnt loud and wasn't overly crowded. Our server was very professional and knowledgeable. He was really quick with questions and food recommendations. We both decided to order the Wataru omakase. The meal came out quickly and went fairly quick as well. Every piece of fish we had from the sashimi to the nigiri was so fresh and yummy. It was buttery and I cannot stop thinking about how I need to go back asap. Everything was perfect from start to finish. Would recommend 10/10 but I don't anyone else to know about my new favorite spot hh read more

Wataru - Nigiri pieces part of the omakase. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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His Omakase-chefs choice, is extremely delicate selection. He chose his Neta (selection of fishes) carefully and Sushi Rice,Soy sauce, salts are perfectly match w his Neta. I really enjoy whatever he prepped for us. Rice was fantastic. Great texture and Perfect blended vinegar flavor... soy sauce.. not salty and hint of sweetness when you taste. He said he makes his own soy sauce goes with his sushi. A million little things he preps for every Omakase was worth tasting and paying for! Loved that I didn't need to ask for less rice. People may think it's a bit small size for nigiri sushi but actually it's a perfect size. You can taste rice, fish and soy sauce(or salt). Try to make a res for sushi bar first and get a table next visit. Then you can have a different kinds of foods you prefer. read more

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Good but not great... I visited pre- shelter in place and maybe I went on an off day. I would rather return to Shiro's or Kashiba for omakase. What really bothered me about my meal was that one of my pieces had a bone in it. It was a bone that had been removed from a previous cut of fish and was somehow mixed in with my piece, which was minced amaebi. Based on the seating at the bar, I was the first to receive each piece. At least half of my pieces had shari, the rice part, that was falling apart. My husband sitting next to me didn't seem to have the same problem, so I'm wondering if it was the fact that I was receiving the first piece made of each new course - as if perhaps the chef's hands were initially too wet when pressing the rice together? (I believe they wet their hands to prevent rice from sticking to them.) Lastly, the dang server did not know how to pour tea. He would pour the tea in my cup and then leave the teapot tilted after he stopped so he would continue to drip tea as he left, leaving a trail from my cup to where he was standing right next to me, almost pouring tea on my arm. Considering that he poured tea for me several times that night, it got really annoying. I've always been impressed after eating at Kashiba and Shiro, so this experience was disappointing. read more

My friend and I came here for dinner, and we were pleasantly surprised. We were driving around at 9pm trying to find a place that served sushi. We stumbled upon Wataru. Even though there were only two seatings a day for the chef's counter, they made an exception for us and the chef stayed to give us the best sushi I've ever had. We had a total of around 36 pieces for the two of us. Among them were salmon in all different marinations, different types of yellow tail (I usually don't like yellowtail but I loved the Bury), different tunas (some fatty and seared, some raw - we also ordered the tuna tataki appetizer), geoduck, scallops, octopus, eel, salmon roe, and tomago for dessert. To pair with the fish, we had sake (first one on the list, sadly don't remember the name), Kirin, and plum wine. Everything was so fresh and delicious. The fish was so fresh, they package up the remaining fish each night and get new fish in the morning. Our fish was picked up at 5am that day from the docks. Our chef told us some of the fish were from Africa, some from Spain, and some Japan. The sea salt, lemon, kelp infused, marinated sauce, and wasabi amounts on each piece were perfect. Our chef said he had worked alongside Jiro and had been making sushi for 25 years. The service was just wonderful from everyone, especially with us being the last customers. The check came to around $226 with tip, which I think was worth it for the quality of fish we received and the service. read more

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My go-to restaurant in this lockdown situation whenever I crave for quality /authentic sushi but too lazy to cook myself. I live quite far south but I think 30-min drive here is totally worth it. I have already been here twice and can't wait to be back for in-door dining when it's possible! read more

Wataru - take-home 10-piece omakase set - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ordered their omakase and futomaki takeout. Sushi was delicious but you definitely can't beat the eat in experience. Each piece of fish was perfectly sliced and melts in your mouth. Futomaki roll was also a steal at 30 dollars, the portion was enough to feed two! This place also use red sushi vinegar which gives the rice a brown appearance. The Wasabi was also freshly grated and delicious! Can't wait till they are fully opened to try the dine in. read more

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Wataru reminds me of restaurants in Japan. It's very small and cozy but the sushi is really good. I mean really good! They are known for their omakase and pre-Covid there was a long wait list. I really enjoyed the omakase but unfortunately I had to stop about half way. I thought I had spoiled my appetite by eating a chocolate mousse from Whole Foods down the street beforehand, but turns out I had a bad case of the flu. So bummed I couldn't make it through the whole experience at the restaurant at the time. Not sure when they will begin full service again but have been getting their omakase take out throughout the pandemic. This is one of the best Covid meals. Nicely displayed and packed sushi. Each piece of sushi is unique and melts in your mouth. Order through Tok and pick up at your designated time. Staff is also super friendly and nice. read more

Delicious sushi at a surprisingly affordable omakase price. Got a tip from a friend to try this place out. Going in I had no expectations and it blew my socks off. We went for the wataru omakase and got a great assortment of mini appetizers and sushi pieces. Appetizers were tasty, light, and refreshing, I didn't have to worry about it filling me up. Now getting to the star of the show, the fish. The sashimi dish allowed us to sample ~7 kinds of fish. Each piece was fresh and quality, no fishiness and the cuts were extremely tender. The most surprising piece was the mackarel wrapped in shiso leaf and daikon. It was a very different and unique taste that was a fun teaser for my tastebuds. Onto the nigiri, boy was I in for a treat. The Wataru omakase gives you the opportunity to try some of the best cuts of fish. We had chutoro, otoro, sockeye salmon, amoebi, scallop, and others. Every slice was so fresh, that I felt myself melting in the creaminess (especially the amoebi and the scallop!). We had such a great experience here that after our dinner, we immediately booked the chef's omakase with the hostess. If our $56 omakase was that great, think of how amazing the chef's options would be. The only thing that was off to me was the service, not as warm as i would have expected, especially with a %20 gratuity fee, but that's not going to stop me from coming back. Make your reservations early, there are only 6 seats for the chef's omakase read more

Wataru - The sashimi plate, with yummy daikon wrapped mackerel - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Would I come back? Best sushi I have ever had. Too bad the reservations are all booked otherwise I would come back the next day. I did not know that you had to call in to reserve seats at the bar for omakase but if you reserve on Yelp it will be in the dining room. They offer two set meals for dine in. I decided to order the Kataros Sushi Omakase. This included one appetizer, 11 pieces of sushi, 1 roll and a miso soup. All for $47 plus the 20% gratuity added to your bill. The appetizer was a sunomono salad. I thought it was interesting because this sunomono salad had fish inside as well. I could opt out on it though... The cucumbers and seaweed itself was refreshing though. The miso soup was tasty as well. Again this one had "fish ball" inside which I would opt out again. It tasted more like pork in my opinion. Now to the star of the show, the sushi! This included: Blue fin tuna- melts in your mouth and very fatty. Otoro- my favorite out of the two tunas. It was REALLY good. Yellowtail- good. King salmon- good as well. After the tuna, that was all that was in my mind for the rest of the meal. I think the king salmon was not as buttery as I'd like it to be. Shrimp with head- Second favorite of the night. The head is deep fried so you can enjoy the whole thing. The sweet shrimp wasn't too bad. Scallop- The scallops were pretty big. Nothing bad to say about it. Mackerel- I usually don't like mackerel, but this one was pretty good. The fish itself was firm and had a smoky taste to it. Chu toro- You cannot go wrong with any of the tunas here. This one was like a tartare. Just by itself is okay. But when you eat the whole piece it is out of this world. Boiled shrimp- Just your normal shrimp. Shad- I have never had this fish before. It had an interesting smooth texture. Amberjack- Never had this fish either. It had a smoky taste to it as well. Tuna roll- Nice way to help fill you up in between each nigiri. There were 6 pieces as well. Geoduck- We ordered this separately since it was not included in our set omakase. It was okay. Nothing special in taste but I thought it was interesting to see it on the menu. Each piece was $4.50. I thought this sushi meal was great and it was a good experience. The server was attentive and made sure our waters were never empty. My friend even stated that he would fly back to Seattle just to eat here again. Hopefully next time we can reserve to sit at the sushi bar so we can experience the Omakase. read more

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i read about Chef Shiro Kashiba protege running this place so i wanted to check out since i liked my experience at Kashiba. When i walked in, the restaurant is downstairs of a residential building... ambience was surprisingly not special but the food was. my friend and i both ordered small sake which was actually a lot of sake. we both got the omakase that comes w/ 3 piece app, sashimi/sushi, and soup. the price was super reasonable for omakase. by the time i finished the soup and 3 piece app... i was full =/ but my friend was satisfied by the time she finished everything. The miso soup was different as it not only had tofu but fish? balls... it was some kind of balls but very good. The 3 piece app was interesting. The sashimi (some of them marinated) and sushi were outstanding! Service was good and we found parking right away as our reservations was at 845pm. read more

Ordered take out on the restaurant's online ordering website. The pick up was smooth. Sushi Omakase was really great value for the price. Super fresh ingredients. Everything tasted amazing, especially the charred ones. Each piece was distinct and like a mini adventure with layers of flavors and textures. The portion was perfect. I started to feel full at the 9th piece but was able to finish everything. Will definitely order again! read more

Wataru - Sushi omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I highly recommend their takeout version of the omakase, which gives you 10 pieces of carefully selected, super fresh sushi. Every bite is a different kind of amazing - the texture, taste, and way of cooking for each piece of sushi is different and you can tell they are thoroughly thought through. Very impressed by the quality. To me, quality wise this is on par with Sushi Kashiba's omakase - except you'd have to pay a lot higher at Kashiba! I also tried their chirashi bowl. Equally fresh (as compared to the omakase), and really good quality for the price. The sushi assortment in the omakase, however, definitely gave my taste buds a little more stimulation as it provides a greater variety of texture and flavors. If you are craving for good sushi meal, definitely get their chirashi bowl. If you are craving for something fancier - go for the omakase! I am definitely coming back for more!! read more

Wataru - Omakase takeout - fantastic selection of sushi. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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We came here on a Friday night. My bf booked reservations. When we got there, we were seated right away. The place is clean, simple and bright. We did the Wataru's Omakase where we got a Miso soup, appetizer sampler, sashimi plate and 7 pieces of sushi. You can get this omakase order if you are seated at a table. I am usually not a fan of miso soup but I really enjoyed this one. It had some kind of fish balls in the soup that were really tasty. I don't remember much about the appetizer sampler, but it was very light and refreshing. The sashimi plate was beautifully presented when it arrived. The BF and I ate each item on the plate at the same time so we could discuss the texture and taste afterwards. Our favorite is a slice of some kind of white fish where they smoked it. I love the taste! All of the sashimi pieces were fresh and tasty. The 7 pieces of sushi came last and it had 3 different tuna, salmon, scallops, and 2 other fishes. I liked how the server let us know where each fish came from. We ordered an extra piece of Uni which I haven't tried before. I only tried a little bit as I was stuffed but my bf said it tasted delicious. We also got green tea ice cream at the end which hit the spot! A sweet treat after devouring lots of savory dishes. The service was great, the server was attentive. read more

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I ordered their takeout during COVID. I got the Omakase 10 pc ($40) and the Futomaki ($30). The quality of the fish for both the nigiri and the roll was great. Nothing really to complain about. The price is worth the quality of the food. I will definitely have to come for Omakase at the sushi counter once COVID is over. Highly recommend anyone who wants good quality sushi for a cheaper price than Kappo Tamura or Kashiba. Portion sizes were also reasonable. Very yummy! read more

Wataru - Omakase 10pc $40 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Review is specific to omakase at the counter- Wataru is the most authentic omakase experience I've had in Seattle. Don't get me wrong - omakase at Shiro's is delicious, Nishino has its merits, and the ambience and quality at Kashiba stand out as well, but this place is the closest to a traditional Japanese omakase experience one can get in the area for less than $200. Food: Highlights for me were the otoro, toro, mackerel and uni. Otoro and uni were divine, buttery, melt-in-your mouth pieces with distinct umami flavor. I tend to like tender, fattier cuts of sashimi, so the clam and geoduck weren't for me, but my counter-mates loved them. The variety of fish was excellent and I counted almost 25 courses (receipt breakdown attached). Drinks: The sake selection here is pretty good. They carry daiginjo and junmai ginjo. For those newer to sake, daiginjo is the best that sake breweries produce and must have a certain percent of the rice's outer layers polished off. If a sake is classified as junmai, it means there aren't other additives like sugar or alcohol in it, but both daiginjo and junmai ginjo are better than 90 percent of sakes out there! Pro tip: the small size carafe is a little carafe that will equate to a few sake cups worth of sake. If you want to try a few flavors without getting too buzzed, I would order these vs. the large. Also, the melon daiginjo sake here is so pure, smooth and elegantly subtle. You even get to pick a handblown sake cup for your sake. Experience: The counter experience is what you make of it- so fun for me and my friend to get to know the others at the table and share sake with each other. Chef Kotaru Kumita was super nice and willing to answer all of our questions. He trained under Shiro, but I'd argue that this place is better than Shiro's, which is super crowded and sometimes feels rushed/too busy. Be sure to arrive early or on time so your group doesn't have to wait for you to start! Lastly, if you're looking for dressed-up maki/rolls or a trendy sushi spot for a big group, just save your $$ and go to momiji or elsewhere. read more

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Wataru, wataru, WATARU, WATARU!!!!!! I thought about not writing this review out of hopes that Wataru would continue to stay the best kept secret in Seattle. But it would be even more tragic if this sushi mecca ever went out of business. Let me first off start by saying this is probably the best sushi experience I've ever had and definitely the best sushi experience I've had in the states. With all his white fish coming in fresh from Tsukiji market how can a man, women or somewhere in the middle complain? Unless you are an idiot you'll reserve ahead of time to sit at the bar for omakase. Before your eyes you'll see a man that's been training since 92 under other Seattle legends and who has in my opinion passed them all in terms of what he offers at his restaurant. Omakase must have consisted of at least 15-20 different fishes ranging from Japanese white fish, fatty tuna, and the best Japanese urchin around to fish from Turkey and yes the rare white king salmon and a lemon infused scallop. Everything was sublime, maybe a tad bit less wasabi then I prefer but it was a nice change of pace to taste all the depths of the fish. Wataru in N Seattle is truly special. I hope it's here to stay for a very long time. read more

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Watar-you craving for dinner tonight? Stop by Wataru ;) My partner and I had belated Valentine's date here last week. I was so surprised at the little location and intimate seating arrangement. It wasn't that packed on a Tuesday night, but the sushi bar definitely was! I have to say I was a little jealous with everyone being served omakase up there, but we ended up having an experience for ourselves. We ordered cod karaage and tamago. Karaage was drenched in a sort of garlic sauce? It was delicious but made the karaage extremely soggy. Tamago was presented so nicely and was sweet to the taste. Texture almost like a dessert cake. The Omakase we selected had 11 pieces each. I didn't think they would be similar to what the pictures posted by other Yelpers, but they totally were! It might've even been the exact same selection of fish! As weird as that may be, the first plate that came out was really amazing. I remember the top row having an assorted variety of fatty fishes, and the bottom being sort of place holders. We definitely saved the fatty row for last. My partner wanted some more rolls, so we ordered the Shizo Salmon... extreme facepalm when the second Omakase plate came out with shizo salmon rolls. (To think they could've just gave us a different roll for the sake of sampling the menu? Oh well) The second plate that came out had 4 more pieces of nigiri that weren't quite up to par with what we had just previously tasted. We ended our meal with black sesame ice cream! This place was good--sure I'd come back to eat up at the sushi bar. Not sure if everything else was worth the price point. It's fun trying new places but it's even more fun when you find a spot that you want to come back to! Unfortunately Wataru wasn't that for me. read more

Bought 2 Omakase and 1 Futomaki, 1 beer, 1 sake. Well worthwhile, considering it is less than $4 per piece. All perfect and even though I forgot to take a picture of the futomaki on a plate, (the ends were beauties), I did manage to take a picture of 2 of them. They are much bigger than the photo shows, and filled with fun, tamago, eel, tuna, salmon, salmon roe and who knows what else. Beer was exceptional, glad I added it. Sake was very exceptional, their least expensive, however better than I have had outside of Nippon. read more

Best Omakase in Seattle! In the last 3 months I have been here 6 times and each time I come back, I have an experience that sticks with me days later. Often times when people talk about sushi they talk about how fresh the fish is. However, that is not the only thing that makes great sushi standout. Like some of the worlds best steaks and meats, great sushi is achieved through aging, curing, and preservation as well. During these processes the true flavor of the fish starts to shine. At Wataru, chef Kotaro has perfected this craft. Each piece of sushi is loaded with umami and has a range of all different types of textures. It is amazing what Chef Kotaro is able to achieve in one bite that many chefs aren't even able to achieve in an entire entree. Wataru is one of only 2 sushi restaurants to have a fully open sushi bar, meaning there is refrigerated sushi container to get between you and the chef. The dinner is essentially a show, that will leave you impressed and entertained, whether you are dining alone or with a friend. The precision and detail that Chef Kotaro puts into each piece of sushi is simply incredible. He will make sure the rice and fish are at the optimal temperature before serving. Not only that but the cuts that he makes on each fish and the way he dresses the fish is very exact and methodical. I am glad that it is so hard to get a reservation here, because otherwise I would go broke from coming here everyday. I already see chef Kotaro more than I see my barber! read more

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Wataru's omakase was one of the best omakase I ever had!!! We had to make a reservation a month ahead to get the sushi bar seating on the weekend for 4, but it was definitely worth waiting! We had over twenty pieces of omakase servings - we had a great assortment of sushi pieces and each pieces were SO FRESH and they all melted in my mouth. I got to try a few pieces that I never tried before and I loved every pieces. Their uni handroll at the end was sooo good! The restaurant is super cute and the chef is very friendly. I highly recommend this place to anyone who is looking for great quality sushi. Make sure to make a reservation a few weeks before for sushi bar seating on the weekend! read more

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This dude is not messing around. Best edome sushi in Seattle. Actually just best sushi in Seattle. Actually best seafood in Seattle. Just go. read more

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