Seki’s Japanese Restaurant

Sad to hear this place has closed
You could actually communicate to the owner and staff in Japanese here
Hamachi kama was awesome and an unexpected find for someone stuck in St Louis in 2010

This is one of my favorite sushi places in St. Louis. Having been to Japan, this place is very traditional from the sushi that they make to the staff and décor. The owner and sushi chef is incredibly personable and I always have great conversations with him. The sushi is absolutely delicious and reasonably priced in my opinion.
Here’s what I had:
–spider roll (huge soft shell crab with spicy mayo and masago — my fav)
–takoyaki (comes with a sauce, but could use traditional toppings like mayo and bonito flakes
–eel/​avocado rol
–homemade mango ice cream
Highly recommend this place!

The only place in St. Louis for authentic Japanese cuisine.

I loved this place when it was Seki’s. They had very authentic food, and the smells and ambience brought back memories of being in Japan. They had excellent sushi, too.
Now that it’s been bought by Blue Ocean, it appears to be nothing more than another generic Americanized sushi place.

It seems that the waitress maybe did not just yell at me and my friend specifically, she yells at everyone? Now that I realize that I am all for it. I will mark this place at the top of my list for places to be scolded by older asian women who know better than I do.
But seriously folks, I really did like it here. I met up with a friend for lunch, and after deciding whether to order the «lunch boxes» or just straight off of the roll list, she went for the rolls, and I went for the sushi lunch. The lunches all come with miso soup and a cucumber salad. Here is where the scolding begins. She brought out the soup and the little salad before any of the other food, I know this is typical, I am not dumb, I was just trying to be American Style polite and not eat if I was the only one eating. This was probably a bad choice, because when she brought the sushi, I got in trouble for not having finished the soup. Apparently not finishing the cucumbers was fine… but the soup! I quickly drank it. It was pretty good I am going to say, but I do like to have the spoon…
The food was pretty good. I am going to preface this with, I have not actually had sushi since last time I was in LA, which was September of 2009. I seem to surround myself with people who don’t like food I like, so this was a rare experience for me. I am not a sushi expert. But the fish seemed really fresh and the rice was a perfect consistency. I could take a bite of my roll and not worry about the other half falling out of my chopsticks or having to tug too hard at the seaweed wrap, it was perfect! I don’t think I have ever even experienced that anywhere, and often rolls are much to big to shove the whole piece in your mouth.
The ambiance of this place is nice too. We sat in one of the booths (designed to hold six, at this moment holding the two of us). I would think that would be an awesome set up for a group. It was not crowded at lunch, which was what we were going for, but it certainly was not empty, there were likely 6 to 8 other pairs or small groups in there at the time, so it was casual enough to have a normal conversation and you did not feel that the person at the next table was hanging on your every word. I know I eaves-​drop like mad when there is no one in a restaurant (I refer you to my review of Al-​Waha).
I know this is everyone’s go to place in the Loop and elsewhere for sushi, but I wanted everyone to know I also had a good experience. And if I could only now make more friends that like sushi, I would probably go more often.

Not bad. A little expensive sometimes, though. Their sea urchin is so-​so, nothing to write home about. Their menu is largely comprised of sushi and traditional Japanese dishes. The staff speaks Japanese fluently – so you know you’re at an authentic place. Sometimes they’re kind of slow, which is annoying, but it’s the Loop so I am not surprised… especially on hella busy nights. This place seems to be favored by a lot of Japanese folks living in the US which is something to be said about it. I think sometimes they skimp on quality due to their location, though. My gyaru friends and I like to eat dinner here when we’re all hanging out, trolling the Loop. We usually cause quite a scene but the staff there are mostly adorable little old ladies and they seem to enjoy us as we’re pretty entertaining, I guess. x) Oh but a word of caution – don’t ask them to split a bill like 6-​ways. Their heads might explode.

The wait staff can be surly and at time outright rude (it seems to be part of their image I think), but the sushi is really tasty and the the presentation very nice.

After recently spending time in Shinjuku, Harajuku, and Shinagawa wards in Tokyo, I can honestly say that Seki on Delmar is the most authentic Japanese restaurant in Saint Louis. This is in no deference to any of the other Japanese styled restaurants in the area, nor against any of the other Japanese owned restaurants in Saint Louis, but for as often as I’ve visited Seki San’s shop, I’ve grown to appreciate his commitment to creating a truly Japanese experience.
Understanding this, do not expect to walk into this restaurant and hope for a few hundred different maki rolls. Do not be surprised that Seki does not serve infused sake. Do not be disappointed that you can’t find non-​japanese items like Spring Rolls or Fried Rice on his meu.
What you can be happy to find is that Seki works very hard at preseting the most authentic Japanese dishes possible. Whether you’re just sitting at the sushi bar wanting a few bites of very high quality Nigiri sushi, or if you’re looking for something off of his grill like Hamachi Kama, and especially if you’re hungry for a really decent bowl of Shoyu Ramen, you’ll be happy to know that Seki will be more than happy to make these dishes for you…
…but here’s the real treat about this place: if you REALLY want to see how this Seki’s stands out, you gotta ask for things that are somewhat «off menu», meaning, they’re not immediately offered unless you’re in the know…
This place is the closest you’ll find to a proper Izakaya in Saint Louis, so ask for his sake menu to get one of the best samplings of sake and soju in the area. Likewise, right next to his sushi bar is a full yaki grill, so ask for a yaki menu (and be sure to order the Beef Tongue since it’s so freaking yummy). Finally, be sure to sit at the sushi bar as Seki San often enjoys entertaining his guests with conversation and (time permitting) an amuse bouche to pass the time til your order arrives.
The staff is no nonsense at first glance, but they warmly remember their regulars and treat them like family, especially if you show your appreciation for the work they put into making Seki’s the most authentic Japanese restaurant in Saint Louis.

The beautiful wife and I found ourselves on the Delmar Loop on a Monday evening. After some of our top choices ended up being closed, the wife suggested Seki. So there we went.
We sat inside, which at first I thought we had wandered into some sort of sushi-​sauna fusion place. I know the weather had changed for the better, but damn, it was hot in there.
This is definitely a mom and pop place — everything looks and feels a little worn out (despite other reviews mentioning them getting remodeled). And in terms of service/​pacing, it shows as well. We ordered several nigiri and rolls and compared to the speed at other places (where there are several chefs working), it seemed to take forever. At least we had sake to tide us over.
Now, that’s the pacing part. For service, yes, there’s some old woman working, who is the Japanese version of the angry Italian grandmother. When ordering, everything is numbered on the menu, so we asked for a «number whatever» and we were told «we don’t order with numbers!» Gotcha!
Then I was sort of chastised for not eating all my cucumber salad (hey, I was saving room for the fish, but I chowed it down quickly)
They serve their miso soup «traditionally» — no spoons. Well, we didn’t realize that, so when she brought out some miso, the wife asked for one, we were informed «stir with stick, drink from cup!» Aye aye!
For the food, when it finally came, everything was pretty good and tasted fresh. I can’t say I was blown away with Seki, but at the same time, I feel like I missed out on _​something_​. If I knew more about sushi (instead of just knowing I love to eat it), I think my opinion would be higher.

While not the best Japanese restaurant in the world, this place is probably the most authentic in St. Louis. Most «Japanese» restaurants in the U.S. tend to serve only sushi and are run by Koreans or Chinese, often leading to a rather inauthentic menu. The people here are Japanese and serve a wide selection of real Japanese cusine, not just Americanized Philly rolls.
That being said, the food is good, but not excellent. I’ve had better Japanese food elsewhere, but I’m enthusiatic enough that this place exists in St. Louis to give a 4-​star rating. They make good broiled salted fish (shioyaki) just like in Japan. It’s hard to find and very yummy– try it (the mackerel is my favorite)!. The donburi are also legit and pretty tasty, especially the katsudon. The sukiyaki (beef donburi) wasn’t quite as good: the beef was tough and it was heavy on bamboo shoots, which I don’t love. Some dishes are better than others, but if I were rating just the average dish against Japanese places in bigger cities, I would give it 3 stars.
The staff was great. They greet patrons in Japanese and have all the Japanese mannerisms that make anyone who has lived there a little nostalgic. At the same time they seem less formal due to their expat status, which is a good thing considering how rigid Japanese in Japan can be. And for a Japanese place it was quite cheap.
I definitely plan to go back soon.,

Very good service and good quality food. Got there about 6:30pm with staff waiting (no other customers). Waitress was good about explaining items on the menu. Bought 3 different rolls (stuffed crab, cajun and eel and avocado) and 4 pieces of sashimi (they come in pairs), scallops and yellow tail. Their sashimi comes with wasabi, which I didn’t know was normal (I am still a sushi newbie) and although I have had pieces many times before this was the first time it was already on it. I like old lady types and while I had a hard time understanding her, the service was good but as I mentioned, we were the only ones there so take that fwiw.

Typically, I wouldn’t write a review without either trying a restaurant several times or being sufficiently turned off that I’m sure there won’t be a followup visit. But, as Allan says, they serve ramen here. And that’s notable. I don’t know a single other restaurant in the St. Louis area that tries to do ramen. So, on a cold-​soba-​type evening, I went to Seki’s to sample their ramen.
Quick overview: soy sauce-​based (shoyu) broth, thinnish noodles, 2 slices «cha shu» pork, bamboo shoots (menma), 2 small squares nori, thinly sliced green onions. Comes with 2 small fried gyoza and 3 small pieces fried karaage.
Verdict? Unfortunately, not good. Noodles were overcooked and limp. Pork wasn’t stewed, and the tough texture of the meat was jarring and a little hard to eat. As for the broth, I’m generally a tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen broth guy, but I have no problem with shoyu broth. This broth was meh at best. And the fried sides were *way* too fried.
The restaurant looks otherwise decent, and I’ll be back to try a few other things off their menu. But the ramen is a no-​go. Sorry, Allan.

We just had the best grilled yellow tail neck and salted mackerel we’ve had in St. Louis here. Though the neck was a special that evening, it’s on the regular menu. Given the quality of these two dishes, I’ll definitely have to go through their grilled skewer menus too.
Typically, unless I had some entirely random story to go with a review, I’d wait until after a couple more visits before writing a review, but I just wanted to get the word out that they serve ramen here. The neck and mackerel took precedence, but I’ll be sure to update after having the ramen :)

Wow this place was awful!
It started out by us waiting 10 minutes at the host stand to be greeted. This was while several wait staff walked past us. We were ushered to a table where it took another 10 minutes for our waitress to even approach us for an order; she started out by asking us for a food order and didn’t bother with the drinks. We asked her what the roll was that another table had and she had a very difficult time understanding us… we never were able to figure out what the roll was.
We were already going down the wrong path, so why not continue. My bento box, with chicken teriyaki, sashimi, cucumber salad and tempura came in about 30 minutes. My nieces, who ordered three rolls of sushi, waited over 45 minutes. I couldn’t understand how three rolls of sushi would take longer than my bento box. The waitress didn’t seem to understand it either. She was very apologetic and brought them some miso soup and rice. We continued to wait for another 15 minutes before the rolls came. It was really unfortunate. My only explanation was that they were overwhelmed and understaffed on a Friday night.
To top it all off, I thought the value for the food was pretty bad and the food itself was marginal. I don’t really have high standards but when service is horrible and the food is bad, you deserve one star. Quite a disappointment!

Hands down, absolutely best sushi I’ve ever had in STL! The fish was cut quite clean & smooth. The fish was also very fresh. The agedashi tofu was very delish! The unagi was sweet as usual & delish as well. The staff was very attentive & quite nice. In the end, I had a very very happy experience with this place. I am sooo going to try the oyakodon & katsudon next time.

This place is great for real Japanese food. I’m not a huge fan of their sushi, I think it’s overpriced and not that great. Though I do really like the shrimp tempura roll. If you want real and delicious Japanese cuisine, you have come to the right place!
The bento boxes are great, the Katsu Don is the best, and I love their crazy ice cream flavors. I recommend the black sesame. Yummm. Every meal comes with miso and a cucumber salad that it sooo tasty. They have a wide sake selection, including this really neat blue orb thingy. A little chintzy, but fun!
The waitresses can be a little prickly, depending on who you get. The older ladies are gruff, but funny. You will never have to ask for more water here– They are on top of it. You will get very prompt and attentive service here.
I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who enjoys Japanese food, or wants something new to try.

Sorry fellow St. Louisans, but the Lou’s precarious geography makes for some sorry ass Japanese food. Seki is no exception. And you’ll pay a Delmar Loop/​WashU markup for it!
Do not be fooled by the Japanese grad students eating here. It’s out of desperation and lack of a car as to why they come. If you want sorry-​ass non-​sushi Japanese, go to Nobu on Olive. They’re somewhat cheaper.
Our server lady was nice though :)

We just moved to the area and heard that Seki’s was the place to go. We only ordered sushi, so I can’t venture a guess about the other side of the menu.
Our server was very pleasant.
Some of the rolls had an off-​putting quality that we couldn’t place. The quality of the fish was fine. Overall, an ok experience. We will try again with different items.

This is one of the best places to eat Japanese food in the St. Louis area. Many Japanese restaurants in the STL are good at doing one thing, and most of the time, it’s sushi or (yuck) teppanyaki grill. Seki’s overcomes that.
They do wonders with a udon, going beyond the dish’s American perception as «soup» and actually making it a meal. A tasty one at that.
Lunch and dinner both offer bento boxes, which has a variety of tasty Japanese treats, including (which is always overlooked in the US) broiled fish, sushi rolls, teriyaki chicken, and more.
The first time I walked into Seki’s, the wait staff reminded me of one of my less-​than-​tactful grandmothers and were impatient as I ordered. I realized after my second visit that this was how they joked with the customers; and I read them the wrong way.
Seki’s is as authentic as it gets in STL for Japanese food. There’s no crazy half-​chef flicking tasteless shrimp onto your plate, or any other gimmick.
Enjoy with good friends and warm sake.

Seki’s is one of my fave Japanese restaurants and whenever I’m in The Loop, I make sure I stop by for some good eats. I’m not very into the sushi here, but the other entrees are quite good, and I think actually make their miso soup here instead of using that instant stuff. I also really like the tonkatsu, pork rolled in panko and fried. Most dishes at Seki’s are served with a side of cabbage covered in their miso salad dressing which sounds simple but is really tasty; I could eat it daily. (I’ve tried to make it at home, but I can’t get it right.) The wait staff at Seki’s is really friendly, especially the older woman who works there; she quick with a tea refill and always ready to recommend something new.