Japonessa

Since moving to Seattle I have been coming to Japonessa, expensive garage parking near by –Check, late afternoon downtown traffic — Check, however, all is forgotten as soon as you start enjoying their delicious fresh sushi, great cocktails, and trendy ambience.
Japonessa’s Happy Hour is one of the most generous I’ve seen anywhere in the US, either for their full size portions, the super long HH, the extensive HH menu, or the great HH prices.
One of my favorite items on the menu is the Calamari Japonessa, deep fried calamari drenched in yuzu vinaigrette, short ribs are hit and miss, they taste good but occasionally a little tough, every sushi roll is to die for, bad boy, spider roll, tango de mango, tres diablos, even the california roll is delicious no imitation crab here.
Most rolls you can order spicy or blah take your pick. Todays special was Lion King roll, shrimp tempura, cilantro, bell pepper, topped with seared salmon, coconut flakes, habanero masago and mango drizzled with soy glaze and habanero sauce, if you missed it too bad, because it was omfg epic.
Service is almost always excellent, and probably a good thing as they have to be very efficient to attend the needs of hundreds of hungry & drooling regulars on a daily basis.
a confession at last, I am addicted to Yuzu anything.
If you are a Seattleite and love sushi you have been Japonessa, if you are visiting, make it a priority, reservations are highly recommended!

Delicious fresh and firm fish. Pretty expensive if you go on the main menu but the happy hour menu is nice. Open relatively late and has a bar which is cool too. Great place to go occasionally, parking is the main issue.

So I was a little worried that after choosing to eat here, I would think this place was overrated and just a trap for people who are in downtown Seattle. But I have to admit — I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied by my experience here on a recent weeknight.
Two of us came here and made reservations online. I’m so glad we did — the place was packed when we arrived, and we still had to wait a few minutes upon arriving. The clientele was interesting to me — some people were super dressed up in a formal way, others were dressed in revealing clubby get-​ups. And then you had people in casual gym attire! This place is pretty modern, so I was surprised to see such a range. Many people were actually getting takeout which was also unexpected. Like I said, this place is cool and contemporary.
Anyway, we made our way to a nice and intimate table. Our waitress was really great — she was able to answer all of our questions and helped us make decisions. She wasn’t pushy and didn’t try to persuade to order more than we wanted. She also didn’t make us feel rushed. All of the dishes sounded good, and we decided to get a salmon special (four different kinds of raw salmon), two rolls (I can only remember mine, the Tres Diablos), two drinks, and dessert. I must say, the salmon special was EXCELLENT. You could really taste the different flavors of each cut. My Tres Diablos was also quite good — it wasn’t overly spicy (just like the waitress said), and the strawberry wasn’t overpowering. It was the perfect balance of spicy and sweet. The drinks were also good — they paired well with the sushi, and had fun names. The green tea cake dessert was only okay, but it hit the spot in being sweet and light. An ideal ending to a filling meal.
Ordering one sushi plate per person worked out perfectly. The rolls were beautiful, large in size, and good to mix and match. Plus, the pricing was decent for what you got. The fish tasted so good!
Bottom line: the fusion of traditional Japanese fare with Latin flavors is truly successful here! This restaurant is great for a classy meal out with girlfriends, a date or coworkers.

If you are looking for a good sushi place, this is it. Although it is a little spendy, it is definitely worth it. If you are tight on the budget I suggest you wait to go to their happy hour times! Regardless of when you go, all the rolls are good, and fresh. Drink selection is decent and the ambience is A1

Great Japanese restaurant in downtown Seattle. Expect a wait here, but it is worth it. Came in with a friend for dinner, happened to be happy hour… Even better. Started with a salmon tartare that was pretty amazing. Ordered some Kalbi from the happy hour menu, so worth the $ 5. We actually contemplated ordering another one of each appetizer, but we had sushi coming… We ordered a tres diablos roll and the first roll on the happy hour menu (sorry forgot the name). They were both big and delicious. That was enough sushi for two of us after the appetizers. Great meal and excellent service even though they were very busy.

I thought it was good– not great. Our server was not the friendliest– but I did notice how friendly he became when dealing with the pretty lady next to us.
I was not impressed when I ordered gluten free and he brought me «gluten free» soy sauce that was not at all gluten free and I fact said wheat on the bottle.
The sushi was good– but I would try elsewhere before coming to town and going again.

As good as it gets for sure! Every time I visit, there is a short wait for a table — and for good reason.
The restaurant is clean, organized and comfortable. The outside seating provides views for people watching and activity.
The quality of fish is above average, and the rolls are quite beautiful. You almost hate to take them apart. Even the sashimi is delicately displayed to tantalize the visual senses.
Aside from the tasty food, whether you are sitting at a table or at the bar — the service is phenomenal. The wait staff is very attentive, making sure you are satisfied and you drinks never run low.
I haven’t had a negative experience here once. Whoever runs the show here is doing an excellent job as everyone seems to be on the same page together. That is ideally how a service based company should operate.

After all this time, I still think Japonessa has one of the best happy hours in Seattle. You get the biggest bang for your buck and I can’t get enough of their sushi. Plus, $ 5 -$ 8 for most HH rolls are a great price for the quality that you get. Their other food items are also tasty and the staff has always been friendly each time I’ve visited.
My recommendation — make a reservation ahead of time. It makes it simple and you don’t need to jockey for a table or seat in the bar. Another tip — check into Japonessa on Unilocal and get a free plate of edamame (yum!)
My favorite dishes include an order of the takoyaki, oyster shooters, sweet seduction roll, spicy tuna roll, and any of their sashimi options.

Their sushi is really good, but I didn’t think it was particularly special compared to other upscale sushi places. The atmosphere is nice. I came here alone and sat by the bar area. The chefs were very friendly.
My only con, and the reason that I’m docking them a star is because the servers and hostess were very snooty and came off as judgmental. They seemed to be confused by the millennial who walked in to the restaurant by herself. So I guess … this isn’t the ideal place for someone traveling solo. Oh well.

Great customer service with friendly staff.
The sauce for the sushi rolls are light and delicious.
Great atmosphere and ok dessert.

So far, I have only had take out at Japonessa! But I have reservations made two weeks out, so I will update my review then for the restaurant itself!
I ordered two spicy cali rolls. Yes, both for me. :P But they were totally authentic and the freshness and spice of the sushi was to dieeee for.
I also loved how prompt the service was and that my food was made so well with the time it took to prepare it.
I’m excited to dine in soon!

A nice spicy twist on some pretty fresh fish! I was very impressed with the flavor combos & options. I really appreciate the longer than normal happy hour times!
The staff were professional. The wait was just right!
And the rolls, tofu, edamame… made me feel clean & fresh & for a quick moment back in Osaka!

Prior to today I have loved this sushi restaurant.
Last night I had dinner at Japonessa by myself and spent $ 50+ dollars. Tonight I decided to return with a colleague for dinner and drinks. Oh boy… At 8:30pm the staff was very unorganized. Asked for a table and was offered one in about 25 minutes or the choice of the bar seating for immediate service. Walked up the stairs to the bar only to be escorted out telling me the bar has at least 25 minute wait. Contradicting the hostess.
Very unhappy long-​term
Customer.

Came with a group after craving sushi as a visitor to the city… and fell absolutely in love! The wait was 20 minutes or so for a weekday lunch, but there was a conference going on so this may be atypical. The place is huge and was packed, but we somehow snagged a seat by the window. We got 5 rolls for 4 people which was admittedly a bit much, since the rolls were giant and 8 pieces each! Seattle crunch and spicy crunch were very similar but for the spice; wicked sensation; Mexican; and super bad boy. There was not one roll we did not love. Our server actually told us to say it was someone’s birthday so we could have green tea cake which we did! Cake was beautiful and delicious (see photo).
Overall, great service, even better food, and check in for complimentary edamame!

I find the sushi or sashimi here ok. Nothing too special. Maybe my expectation was too high. Well its my first time here and I came here during Happy Hour. Sweet, I am getting a deal. So I ordered the $ 12 bento box. Its not bad but its rather small. I mean I was full when I left the restaurant but not too long after I was hungry again. The bento box came with some spicy sushi, sashimi and fried shrimp (tasted like the ones you can get from Costco) and salad. Not bad for that price. The Bento box also came with miso soup. On top of that I got a tuna tataki and its not bad. I liked it. But its not like super special though.
Staff are very friendly and helpful. Décor is nice. I mean the seats are comfy. Its definitely worth coming here.
For the price, its pretty good. Also Japonessa is located in Seattle downtown near pike place market.

Got the recommended super bad boy role — nothing to write home about (if you’ve ever had a decent specialty role with crab+avocado this is that) but was a great deal during the evening happy hour!
Staff was pleasant and accommodating despite it being busy

One of my first and favorite sushi spots in Seattle! I first visited this location with a friend, and immediately fell in love with it. I’ve been here multiple times and tried the Tres Diablos, The Matador — among others. I also had some sushi roll with beef on it (forgot the name of it), which made me full way too fast. All three of these were seriously the best ones I’ve had so far! So many good options here, so you cannot really go wrong.
I know I have had a number of other rolls in the past, but the names are slipping my mind. While it is on the pricier side, I’d definitely recommend visiting if you are in the area! There are a number of more affordable sushi restaurants in Seattle.

Japonesa is a trendy sushi bar in downtown Seattle. An impressive Happy Hour menu, bar, and quality sushi results in a great experience.
My Overall Rating — 4 Stars (Atmosphere, Service, Food, Return)
Atmosphere — Japonesa feels hip and trendy. Dimly lit inside, the first thing you’ll notice will be the bar. One-​part traditional bar, one-​part sushi bar, on our visit Sunday evening visit, Japonesa was just starting to fill up. It’s a cool crowd with plenty of pretty people coming to take advantage of the Happy Hour specials. 1 Star.
Service — Good but not great, our server was very friendly but there were gaps where we had to wait or flag her down. This is par for the course for busy restaurants but they weren’t too busy when we first arrived. Overall good but it could have been a lot better. ½ Star.
Food — Several reviews indicated Japonesa had a great Happy Hour. We went during our visit and we were rewarded. Miso soup is $ 1. Warm & delicious, it was a great start. The sashimi is great and high quality. We started with the assorted sashimi. Salmon & yellowtail (oh so buttery) lasted only 5 minutes. Another order of just salmon sashimi ($ 7) helped curb our appetites. Now, if you look at Japonesa’s menu, you’ll find it is full of creative dishes, but their sashimi is such high quality and a great value during Happy Hour you can’t go wrong. 1 ½ Star.
Will I Return? — Yes. Great quality, great value (during Happy Hour), and a cool vibe is a combination that I’ll easily come back too. In a city with so many great options, Japonesa should be on the list of must visits. 1 Star.
My Unilocal Rating Scale (Sum of all parts):
1 Star — Atmosphere — Is it a cool dive? Perhaps an upscale place? No matter the type, atmosphere plays a big part and I’ll give a star if I like it or thinks it has great charm.
1 Star — Service — You can have a great meal with bad service. But that’s also what can make a five-​star joint drop to four. It’s important to the dining experience that service is great and on point.
2 Stars — Food — I’ll award up to two stars for the food, since this is the main reason we dine out. Sometimes the extra star is given for value, but it’s really all about the food.
1 Star — Will I come back? — If I know for a fact I’ll return, I’ll give this a star. A place has to make an impression for me to return.
Each Category can be given up to 1 star except food (2 stars) because I consider all these categories important to the overall dining experience. I will sum them up to provide my final Unilocal score.

The food here isn’t really worth it unless it’s Happy Hour. But even then, the prices aren’t a steal it’s just okay for the quality you get.
We shared a few dishes; calamari, skin on skin roll, brie tempura and the bad boy roll.
I wasn’t really blown away since I prefer traditional Japanese style nigiri over Americanized rolls dripped with mayo.
The calamari was a pretty big dish, it was somewhat a calamari salad.
The only dish I liked was the brie tempura and ironically it’s not seafood. It comes with a cranberry dipping sauce which was a nice touch to the fried cheese.
I’m starting to think this place is overhyped since it’s located right across from the street from the Seattle Art Museum and I noticed most of the reviews were from out of towners.
Free edamame when you check in so I guess that’s a plus?
P. S. Happy Hour is all day, every day, reservations would be helpful.

Honestly, I would not come here unless it’s for happy hour.
The food is really pricey normally, and I came during normal hours. :(Make sure you make a reservation — I had to wait 45 minutes to sit at the bar.
Parking is difficult to find but you can park in the Target Parking Lot with first two hours free with a $ 20 target purchase. The 3^rd hour costs $ 8.
I recommend getting:
–Super Bad Boy Roll
–Rainbow Poke
–free edamame when you check in with Unilocal!
–oyster shooters ($ 4 each but very refreshing)
The service is pretty slow, but the restaurant décor and ambience makes the dining experience special and great for a date.
let me reiterate: You should only come here during Happy Hour!

Buen lugar si estás en downtown. Calidad normal, nada deslumbrante. El sushi no es bueno.