Japonessa Sushi Cocina

You get chain quality food here. It's not terrible but it's definitely not authentic or particularly fresh. Our sashimi was a bit deteriorated, possibly from defrosting incorrectly. My udon soup had way too much MSG. The ginger chicken was very greasy. On the positive, the service was friendly and fast.

Visited 4 months ago

I was craving Sushi 🍣 from sometime now. It finally ended with my friend giving a treat for his new car.

Absolutely loved this spot - just so good. I haven't tasted anything like the ultimate dragon. Don't get discouraged by seeing Eel - it's absolutely a blast. Other sushi rolls we tried was Emperor's roll, Spicy Seattle and Green Decadence. Emperor's roll to me was an eclectic collection of different combinations of shrimp, crab meet, avocado etc.

The atmosphere feels definitely upscale and the service is super quick. The cuisines are presentable and you are NOT leaving from here disappointed.

Visited 7 months ago

Came 15 minutes before last seating at 8pm on Christmas eve. The host was not welcoming, gives a little bit of attitude even though I was just asking "Are you still open?" Because I understand it's Christmas eve, but if you don't want customers just say so. Since we were hungry, we decided to come in anyway trying to forget his attitude. Luckily, our waitress was friendly and nice! Food came out quicker than we thought, which was great cos like I said we were hungry! We ordered tuna tataki, fried calamari, street fighter 2 roll, seafood udon, and sukiyaki beef. All were wonderfully seasoned! Both udon and sukiyaki broth were soothing, perfect for cold winter night. Calamari was served a lot more than I thought but it was awesome! Tuna tataki and street fighter roll were great! All in all, great experience with the food and service from the waitress. She made sure that we placed our last order before they closed off the kitchen. Also ordered a squirt but it did not taste like squirt at all, luckily they were able to get 7up that tasted like 7up. It was nice to see that the staff were taking pictures together and having fun even though they had to work on Christmas Eve. We appreciate you! We recommend coming here if you're looking for japanese food in Bellevue area. It wasn't cheap, but worth the price! Thank you friendly waitress!

Visited 5 months ago

We had a really good experience in this japonessa ,

I ordered the seattle crunch and shrimp tempura and noodles.

All of them were freshly made and top quality.

We also went to japonessa in downtown and the waitress in downtown was very rude. But the staff here were really friendly and welcoming and they tended to our needs on time.

I cant wait to come back to this place to try more sushi and have a nice time.

Keep it up

Visited 5 months ago

Good sushi, decent happy hour. Staff looked tired and l little stressed out. Maybe is not in general but at least on our visit the server looked like she wanted to do her job as quick a possible and be done with it. She was kind though. Super casual and laidback ambience.

Visited 6 months ago

I have been coming to this place for a long time and it is amazing. Always fast service, polite and friendly staff who go above and beyond. I also want to add that I have been trying to find a Lion King baked roll for a while, Japonessa does not bake rolls, but you can add things. I finally got one, it was delicious. Thank you so much! :)

Visited 10 months ago

I went here by myself and sat at the sushi counter. I got the salmon tartare, the spicy Seattle roll, the side salad, and the sushi deluxe set A.
Salmon tartare - not bad. The mango wasn't as ripe as I would hope it to be, and the tomatoes were a bit lost in the sauce. However, the avocado and salmon were perfectly fresh and very good with the sauce.
Spicy Seattle roll - the spicy is just spicy mayo put on top of the basic roll. If I had known, I would've ordered it without. The base roll was very good - the tobiko was a well balanced flip to the typical Alaska roll. Salmon was very fresh. The roll also was very large, well worth the price.
The sushi deluxe set A - the eel was amazing. It melted in your mouth. That set was worth the eel alone. The other fish were also good and fresh. The salmon was perfect.
The side salad was good. It wasn't ice burg lettuce with the carrot ginger dressing on top, which was a pleasant surprise considering how cheap it was.
The service was good. Everyone was polite. I really appreciated the sushi chef, his skill was great. My only complaint was that I felt a bit ignored/forgotten by my server. I was happy the sushi chef was able to hand things directly to me, it made it faster. All in all, it was a nice time and good sushi. I would come back if I was ever in Bellevue again.

Visited 8 months ago

My sister was really craving sushi on her visit home from college, so we made a reservation at Japonessa. It was super easy to reserve a table, and when we got to the restaurant, we were seated instantly.

The restaurant had cute holiday decor, but I was really put off by how gross the bathrooms were. When I told my parents, they were shocked because of how nice the restaurant was and when my mom went to the bathroom she was absolutely disgusted when she came back.

At least the food was good. We ordered the shrimp gyoza to start and practically inhaled it. It was so savoury and we were so hungry. My parents loved the sauce that came with it. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and my mom loved the umami flavour.

For our drinks, I recommended A Fire in the Sun to my dad, and he was obsessed with the spice of the jalapeno tequila. He usually orders a margarita, but this was a drink intriguing enough for him to step outside his comfort zone, and he loved it. I got the Butterfly Effect for myself and I loved the floral flavour of the empress gin and the aroma of fresh lavender.

My sister tried out the non-alcoholic Be Gone Evil Spirits and my family had an appropriate laugh at the name. I couldn't try her drink because it had mango in it, but it smelled delicious and was the most enchanting tropical colour. She said it was delicious and my dad agreed. It looked good enough that I was jealous.

We picked out The Union, the Super Bad Boy and the Spicy Seattle rolls to share. I loved The Union; I just wasn't a huge fan of the tuna on top, the slimy texture is a total no-go for my palette. That also ruled out the Spicy Seattle for me, but my sister loved both rolls! Salmon is her absolute favourite. The Super Bad Boy was also delicious once I took out the avocado.

My dad isn't a sushi lover so he ordered the Chicken Teriyaki with a side of white rice. I stole a little from him and the chicken was tender and flavourful. I loved the sweet sauce and the way it paired perfectly with the fluffy white rice. Sometimes the chicken was a little difficult to bite into, but overall it was delicious and I loved it.

Our server Jeremis was super friendly and welcoming. He brought us lychee ice cream to celebrate my birthday early and it was absolutely incredible. We wouldn't have ordered ice cream if he hadn't brought it to us, but my mom was in love with the sweet, refreshing flavour. We really appreciated Jeremis for getting us to try something new, we'll definitely order the ice cream next time we visit.

Along with that I ordered the Hazlenut Brownie Bar, and my sister ordered the Strawberry Mochi Cake. I loved the wafer texture of the Brownie Bar and the rich chocolatey cake. It was definitely a very heavy, dense dessert though and close to the end of it, I thought I was going to explode. My sister's cake was pretty good, I loved the strawberry cream and the mochi dough, I just wasn't a huge fan of the coconut shavings on top.

We'll definitely have to come back soon, the sushi and the drinks were delicious.

Visited 5 months ago

Delicious and fresh foods.

Visited 4 months ago

Got here and it was closed early without posting on the website

Visited 4 months ago

Food was good! Atmosphere left some to be desired as it is in a mall…

Visited 4 months ago

You get chain quality food here. It's not terrible but it's definitely not authentic or particularly fresh. Our sashimi was a bit deteriorated, possibly from defrosting incorrectly. My udon soup had way too much MSG. The ginger chicken was very greasy. On the positive, the service was friendly and fast.

Visited 4 months ago

Visited 4 months ago

I have got around 5 pieces of fish bones and other random stuff in my food

Visited 4 months ago

Went for New Years Eve. It was loud,tables very close together and the carpet was filthy! Sushi was just ok and the service slow.

Visited 4 months ago

Best Sushi I ever had. I ordered Laughing Budha roll. The taste and presentation were beyond expectations. The cocktail The Sundress was refreshing and good. There are some vegetarian/vegan options that you can enjoy. Will definitely go again.

Visited 4 months ago

Nothing special. Convenient location in the mall. Sat at the bar. Fish don't look fresh. Taste of rolls is Americanized, too sweat, crab tasted imitation. didn't'see a single Japanese sushi chef. Tokayaki was probably one of the worst I have ever had. Tiny bits of octopus in a warm glob of batter. Service is good, I wouldn't call the food not edible certainly ok but not for the price. Go to Ginza about a mile from here and have some real sushi from some real chefs.

Visited 5 months ago

Came 15 minutes before last seating at 8pm on Christmas eve. The host was not welcoming, gives a little bit of attitude even though I was just asking "Are you still open?" Because I understand it's Christmas eve, but if you don't want customers just say so. Since we were hungry, we decided to come in anyway trying to forget his attitude. Luckily, our waitress was friendly and nice! Food came out quicker than we thought, which was great cos like I said we were hungry! We ordered tuna tataki, fried calamari, street fighter 2 roll, seafood udon, and sukiyaki beef. All were wonderfully seasoned! Both udon and sukiyaki broth were soothing, perfect for cold winter night. Calamari was served a lot more than I thought but it was awesome! Tuna tataki and street fighter roll were great! All in all, great experience with the food and service from the waitress. She made sure that we placed our last order before they closed off the kitchen. Also ordered a squirt but it did not taste like squirt at all, luckily they were able to get 7up that tasted like 7up. It was nice to see that the staff were taking pictures together and having fun even though they had to work on Christmas Eve. We appreciate you! We recommend coming here if you're looking for japanese food in Bellevue area. It wasn't cheap, but worth the price! Thank you friendly waitress!

Visited 5 months ago

Visited 5 months ago

Visited 5 months ago

Had calamari, ginger chicken, shrimp gyoza, legend, seattle crunch and california crunch rolls. All were very good. We’ll definitely come back.

Visited 5 months ago

Really inexpensive for good sushi

Visited 5 months ago

You must set your expectations correctly when reviewing a sushi place. Japonesa is not Ishiro or Nishino or any other higher end sushi restaurant. However the food is served fresh and served with care even on a busy weekend night.

Visited 5 months ago

Tried the Bellevue location for my birthday, food tasted and looked great, atmosphere was pleasant and staff were nice! Our waiter tho was very slow and had us waiting awhile. I ended up getting Food Poisoning not sure why so I will not be coming! Please be cautious on eating raw fish!

Visited 5 months ago

We had a really good experience in this japonessa ,

I ordered the seattle crunch and shrimp tempura and noodles.

All of them were freshly made and top quality.

We also went to japonessa in downtown and the waitress in downtown was very rude. But the staff here were really friendly and welcoming and they tended to our needs on time.

I cant wait to come back to this place to try more sushi and have a nice time.

Keep it up

Visited 5 months ago

The food is amazing as well as the service. I love coming here, but during my lunch today the same 5 Taylor Swift songs were playing on repeat. If that happens again I will just walk out. I can stand any music, but on repeat like that is like just cruel.

Visited 5 months ago

I love this Japonessa! It’s so much better than the Seattle location. The sushi is always fresh and delicious, and I really enjoy the atmosphere here. However, it is extremely expensive, so I only come for happy hour before 5 PM. The prices during happy hour are much more reasonable, and the sushi is still top-notch. I would never come for dinner, though—it’s just too pricey for sushi. That said, I’ll definitely continue coming for happy hour!

Visited 5 months ago

My sister was really craving sushi on her visit home from college, so we made a reservation at Japonessa. It was super easy to reserve a table, and when we got to the restaurant, we were seated instantly.

The restaurant had cute holiday decor, but I was really put off by how gross the bathrooms were. When I told my parents, they were shocked because of how nice the restaurant was and when my mom went to the bathroom she was absolutely disgusted when she came back.

At least the food was good. We ordered the shrimp gyoza to start and practically inhaled it. It was so savoury and we were so hungry. My parents loved the sauce that came with it. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and my mom loved the umami flavour.

For our drinks, I recommended A Fire in the Sun to my dad, and he was obsessed with the spice of the jalapeno tequila. He usually orders a margarita, but this was a drink intriguing enough for him to step outside his comfort zone, and he loved it. I got the Butterfly Effect for myself and I loved the floral flavour of the empress gin and the aroma of fresh lavender.

My sister tried out the non-alcoholic Be Gone Evil Spirits and my family had an appropriate laugh at the name. I couldn't try her drink because it had mango in it, but it smelled delicious and was the most enchanting tropical colour. She said it was delicious and my dad agreed. It looked good enough that I was jealous.

We picked out The Union, the Super Bad Boy and the Spicy Seattle rolls to share. I loved The Union; I just wasn't a huge fan of the tuna on top, the slimy texture is a total no-go for my palette. That also ruled out the Spicy Seattle for me, but my sister loved both rolls! Salmon is her absolute favourite. The Super Bad Boy was also delicious once I took out the avocado.

My dad isn't a sushi lover so he ordered the Chicken Teriyaki with a side of white rice. I stole a little from him and the chicken was tender and flavourful. I loved the sweet sauce and the way it paired perfectly with the fluffy white rice. Sometimes the chicken was a little difficult to bite into, but overall it was delicious and I loved it.

Our server Jeremis was super friendly and welcoming. He brought us lychee ice cream to celebrate my birthday early and it was absolutely incredible. We wouldn't have ordered ice cream if he hadn't brought it to us, but my mom was in love with the sweet, refreshing flavour. We really appreciated Jeremis for getting us to try something new, we'll definitely order the ice cream next time we visit.

Along with that I ordered the Hazlenut Brownie Bar, and my sister ordered the Strawberry Mochi Cake. I loved the wafer texture of the Brownie Bar and the rich chocolatey cake. It was definitely a very heavy, dense dessert though and close to the end of it, I thought I was going to explode. My sister's cake was pretty good, I loved the strawberry cream and the mochi dough, I just wasn't a huge fan of the coconut shavings on top.

We'll definitely have to come back soon, the sushi and the drinks were delicious.

Visited 5 months ago

my favorite sushi in Bellevue with a very good price🔥

Visited 5 months ago

Food: 10/10
Price: 9/10
Cleanliness: 10/10
Customer Service: 10/10

I visited this sushi spot for the first time while staying at the W, drawn by its convenient walking distance. From the moment I walked through the door to the time I checked out, the entire experience was seamless. The service was efficient, the staff was welcoming, and the food was excellent.

Everything ran smoothly, and the quality of the sushi truly stood out. Overall, it was a great dining experience, and I’d definitely come back next time I’m in the area.

Visited 5 months ago

Best sushi on the east side! Great happy hour. Highly recommend the Spicy Seattle and Sashimi. The fish is super fresh!

Visited 5 months ago

Have been to this place 4 times in past 1 yr. Everytime the visit was good and memorable. Service has been consistently good.

Visited 5 months ago

**Date Night Disappointment: A Review of Red One and Japonessa**

So, it's date night and the Mrs. is all about Dwayne Johnson. Yes, he's on her list! Naturally, what better way to celebrate than by catching the latest flick, *Red One*, and indulging in a meal at a highly touted Lincoln Center restaurant? Sounds perfect, right? Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

**Part 1: The Movie - Red One**

Let’s dive into the cinematic experience first. Honestly, I’m baffled by all the hype surrounding *Red One*. It didn’t quite deliver the thrill I expected, leaving me scratching my head rather than cheering for The Rock. But enough about the movie—let’s get to the heart of the evening’s disappointment: dinner.

**Part 2: The Restaurant - Japonessa**

Now, Japonessa is one of those places that always seems busy, which usually signals something good, right? Wrong. I should have braced myself for a long wait instead. Upon entering, the ambience hit me like a floodlight—bright, almost blindingly so. If you’re aiming for a romantic vibe, this isn’t the spot. The brightness only accentuated the leftover crumbs on the floor and seats, and the noise level was through the roof. Privacy? Forget it. It felt more like a bustling cafeteria than an intimate dining experience.

**The Food: A Culinary Letdown**

**Appetizer - Takoyaki:** My hopes were high, having lived in Japan for 5½ years, but the takoyaki fell flat. The flour overwhelmed, while the flavor underwhelmed. The ginger on top? The best part. Not exactly a great start.

**Entrée - Omakase ($80):** A 30-32 piece assortment that seemed like it had been pre-sliced and stored in the fridge for a bit too long. Each piece tasted slightly waterlogged, giving me a not-so-pleasant reminder of my past. The bedding of the sashimi looked sad and unappetizing, not crisp and vibrant as it should be. It was a bland experience, which is not how I envision enjoying sashimi.

**Side - Diabla Roll:** Now, this roll had a bit of character! It carried a nice kick, although for spice enthusiasts, it wouldn’t match the intensity of a level 10 at an Indian or Thai joint. Still, it was a pleasant surprise in an otherwise lackluster meal. If you prefer mayo-level spice, however, stick to the takoyaki.

**Drinks:** The ume passion fruit cocktail was solid, but the real highlight was the Old Fashioned made with Yamazaki 18—smooth, rich, and absolutely delightful. Honestly, the drink was the best part of the meal.

**Price Point:** Surprisingly reasonable, but I’d gladly pay more for higher quality. Which brings us to the last part of this saga.

**Part 3: The Comparison - Japonessa vs. Minamoto's**

Finding authentic Japanese cuisine in the U.S. can feel like a quest. Japonessa, with its fusion approach, tries to capture the essence of Japan but misses the mark entirely. And let’s be honest, a name like "Japonessa Sushi Cocina" feels like a mix-up in the menu planning—like they couldn’t decide whether to serve sushi or a salsa bar! After this experience, we’ll stick to our trusted favorites. If you’re searching for a solid Japanese restaurant, Minamoto's is the way to go. Sure, it’s pricier, but the quality and atmosphere are leagues ahead.

In hindsight, I should have trusted my instincts based on the name alone.

**Recommendation:** Change the name. Japanessa. Drop the sushi cantina. Turn the lights down lower and frost the glass. Get a new recipe for takoyaki with flavor (really not difficult) and slice and serve fresh fish. Oh… and get rid of the crumbs.

So, if you’re looking for a memorable date night, I suggest steering clear of Japonessa. Keep the Rock on your list—but maybe skip the sushi.

Visited 6 months ago

Visited 6 months ago

Visited 6 months ago

Good sushi, decent happy hour. Staff looked tired and l little stressed out. Maybe is not in general but at least on our visit the server looked like she wanted to do her job as quick a possible and be done with it. She was kind though. Super casual and laidback ambience.

Visited 6 months ago

Y’all raggedy, got my friends waiting for hours. Shameful !

Visited 6 months ago

Sushi was delicious! Spanish roll is my fav! Definitely will try another roll here soon!

Visited 6 months ago

Visited 6 months ago

The food was very delicious. But the service sucks. We got seated at 21+ cause they asked if we were over 21. Got seated right away. The food came in pretty quickly the server I thought was nice but after the food came. The waiter never bothered to asked “how was the food” my water up was also empty and the sushi we ordered was spicy so I drank the whole glass of water. Waiter never bothered to come back to even ask “how was the food” and never refill my glass of water till I had to asked. For such a high end restaurant we thought that it will give us a great customer service but failed to do so in my opinion. All in all food was delicious but service wasn’t at par. I would go back again and hoping I get better customer service

Visited 6 months ago

The service is terrible - has anyone here worked at a restaurant before? I’m shocked you are still in business.

Visited 6 months ago

A good spot for some delicious sushi. I feel like it was a missed opportunity with the ikura not having a house marinade but overall the sushi quality is great. The fish to rice ratio was excellent with the nigiri!

Visited 6 months ago

My favorite casual Japanese restaurant in downtown Bellevue. Currently participating LLY restaurant weekSeattle, offering four course meal at $35.

Visited 6 months ago

Great food and service. Antonio, Huego, Jose and Jeremiah are typically our servers and do a great job. Quick fast and accurate always. Go above and beyond. We are regulars and for a good reason! 100% recommend

Visited 7 months ago

Great Food. Lively, mostly busy.

Visited 7 months ago

This place has the best sushi I have ever tasted. We come here 3-4x a month for 2 years now and have always had an amazing experience with delicious food, amazing service, and always leave feeling so happy and satisfied. Tonight, we celebrated our engagement here and our waiter was completely on top of everything for our large party and so attentive and kind. I have nothing but good things to say about this restaurant 1000/10. Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Visited 7 months ago

Do not order through uber eats at this restaurant. They take your tips for themselves, which is why you will wait a long time for your order. You order $200 worth of food, and because they keep the tip, the drivers don't take your order.

Visited 7 months ago

Visited this location on a busy Saturday night, food, service, and drinks were amazing. Food came out within 20 mins. However, the table was a bit dirty and our table was missing a heating lamp (we sat on the patio). I would definitely come back and request a patio table with a heat lamp haha.

Visited 7 months ago

I was craving Sushi 🍣 from sometime now. It finally ended with my friend giving a treat for his new car.

Absolutely loved this spot - just so good. I haven't tasted anything like the ultimate dragon. Don't get discouraged by seeing Eel - it's absolutely a blast. Other sushi rolls we tried was Emperor's roll, Spicy Seattle and Green Decadence. Emperor's roll to me was an eclectic collection of different combinations of shrimp, crab meet, avocado etc.

The atmosphere feels definitely upscale and the service is super quick. The cuisines are presentable and you are NOT leaving from here disappointed.

Visited 7 months ago

Visited 7 months ago

Visited 7 months ago

Taste is ok. Generally spicy.

Visited 7 months ago

Very clean and stylish Sushi restaurant in Bellevue downtown.
Staff is so helpful, and the food is amazing .
Recommendation on special day.

Visited 8 months ago

Visited 8 months ago

By far the best Japanese experience in Bellevue, ... also a really solid overall value.

Visited 8 months ago

The nigiri was great, fresh and larger cuts. But the tempura roll was a huge letdown. Not even crispy and very basic pulling the whole meal down.

Visited 8 months ago

very tasty food, I love Japanese cuisine and here it is really tasty!

Visited 8 months ago

I ordered from this location and was very specific about having allergies to gluten and peanuts. I had an allergic reaction after eating the food they sent. In addition there was torn up plastic inside my sushi roll. Someone is being sloppy I'm and it is a huge problem

Visited 8 months ago

I went here by myself and sat at the sushi counter. I got the salmon tartare, the spicy Seattle roll, the side salad, and the sushi deluxe set A.
Salmon tartare - not bad. The mango wasn't as ripe as I would hope it to be, and the tomatoes were a bit lost in the sauce. However, the avocado and salmon were perfectly fresh and very good with the sauce.
Spicy Seattle roll - the spicy is just spicy mayo put on top of the basic roll. If I had known, I would've ordered it without. The base roll was very good - the tobiko was a well balanced flip to the typical Alaska roll. Salmon was very fresh. The roll also was very large, well worth the price.
The sushi deluxe set A - the eel was amazing. It melted in your mouth. That set was worth the eel alone. The other fish were also good and fresh. The salmon was perfect.
The side salad was good. It wasn't ice burg lettuce with the carrot ginger dressing on top, which was a pleasant surprise considering how cheap it was.
The service was good. Everyone was polite. I really appreciated the sushi chef, his skill was great. My only complaint was that I felt a bit ignored/forgotten by my server. I was happy the sushi chef was able to hand things directly to me, it made it faster. All in all, it was a nice time and good sushi. I would come back if I was ever in Bellevue again.

Visited 8 months ago

I was very disappointed specially having spent $200. My wife and I have been wanting to go to Japonesa for a while. We decided to go with our baby and my brother who was visiting. The drinks and edamame were very good! However, I got the belly sampler which for $35 I was hoping for some substance but all I got was 6 small pieces of fish and seaweed and some onions and ginger. I had asked the server for recommendations since I was hungry and he recommended that. The plate was very small. More like a tiny appetizer. The server came over to drop off the check and asked how everything was. I told him about my disappointment with the dish. He then asked if I was going to order anything else or if I wanted anything else(he had the check in hand). I decided to order the Superbad boy which was very good. The food overall was good but the service not so much. Not only was I disappointed by the recommendation and the lack of correction. But I only saw my server when we ordered drinks, entrees, and when he came to drop off the check. We felt like we were not as important as the other guests dinning inside :/. Oh well 🤷🏽‍♂️

Visited 8 months ago

Been here twice now for happy hour and always had a great experience with amazing food. Price point is good for the quality of fish (especially the happy hour specials). I’ve always sat at at the bar so wasn’t really there for the ambiance/atmosphere. Service was quick for us even though it seemed decently busy during the pre-dinner timeframe.

Visited 8 months ago

Visited 8 months ago

Try the steak wrapped sushi rolls, they were delicious. Great food, but not an easy place to find based on google directions. Parking was also a challenge during lunch hours. I would advise skipping this place for a business meeting based on the noise level. But probably a great hang out and grub spot on the weekends.

Visited 9 months ago

Unfortunately, this was one of the worst sushi places I’ve tried. We ordered 2 different rolls and I didn’t manage to have a second piece from either of them. Would not recommend.

Visited 9 months ago

Visited 9 months ago

Great sushi and very low prices for the quality and service you’re getting. My takeout for 1 would normally be ~$23 and I’d be so full I can’t finish. Fresh fish, good miso and menu selection. Highly recommend

Visited 9 months ago

Visited 9 months ago

What a fun Sushi fusion spot in the Bellevue mall. The specialty rolls are seriously spicy and delicious!

And the a la carte sashimi - while pricey - is at least generously portioned and so very fresh.

Good service. Good hot sake. Buzzy date spot.

Visited 9 months ago

Went for happy hour but didn't actually end up getting much from the HH menu.

Service was slow at times. Food was good. Chirashi bowl seemed fresh.

Visited 9 months ago

First time here. We absolutely enjoyed the delicious food, really good price as a restaurant in Lincoln Square, and most pleasant service here.
I especially loved the sushi salad and rolls. I will definitely come back for more!

We celebrated our good friend’s birthday here and the restaurant treated us green tea ice cream with candle on it. The green tea ice cream was also the best I had in the area.

Visited 9 months ago

The food tastes good, the service is good, the food quality is good, and the price is great.

Visited 10 months ago

Always stop by here when in Bellevue and it never disappoints!! Amazing staff, service and food!

Visited 10 months ago

A bit pricey but the sushi is delicious!

Visited 10 months ago

Visited 10 months ago

Probably the best agedashi tofu I have ever had. If you watch what you eat and don’t drink any alcohol, you can get out for a pretty good deal! Sushi can get expensive fast.

Visited 10 months ago

Hyped up Americanized Sushi place, nothing special. Even worse, unpleasant customer service.

Visited 10 months ago

Great food experience.

Visited 10 months ago

Huge variety of fish, very friendly staff, the takoyaki and shrimp gyoza are really good. They make the latin/japanese fusion work. Usually some “fusion” restaurants just use the term to hide their lack of competence working with on of the cuisine’s. In this case, they dominate both and add just a touch of latin details that work with the sushi. The tuna tataki and the hamachi in ponzu are great examples of that. The staff was super friendly and helpful, fresh fish and varied.

Visited 10 months ago

Visited 10 months ago

Visited 10 months ago

The food was mediocre. The cost-performance value was bad. The server was very rude as she was trying to kick us out of the restaurant when our food and drinks weren't even finished. We were just there for about 45 minutes. Our bill was over $400 for 6 of us. I will never go back to this restaurant again.

Visited 10 months ago

I have been coming to this place for a long time and it is amazing. Always fast service, polite and friendly staff who go above and beyond. I also want to add that I have been trying to find a Lion King baked roll for a while, Japonessa does not bake rolls, but you can add things. I finally got one, it was delicious. Thank you so much! :)

Visited 10 months ago

Super bad boy and eel rolls are top tier. Great for takeout!

Visited 10 months ago

Visited a year ago

I went yesterday with my wife and two kids and you guys were the only restaurant around the corner who sat us. The waiting time was short for not having a reservation. The food and the server was amazing. Good job here.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Nice restaurant, food was good, service is very fast

Visited a year ago

Fresh and delicious sushi, great atmosphere and service.

Visited a year ago

Update: Restaurant manager reached out and apologized about the incident and promised to make improvements. He was nice and courteous. I’ll visit again and update review as necessary.

Already paying $150-200 for 2 people every visit, before tips, so the smaller portions and poor service are not cool! We eat here often and recently the service has tumbled. The servers are inattentive and just lazy. During the whole hour we were there, our server did not check in on us once. After our meal, I went to the bathroom and passed our server chatting up with other employees in the back, leaving many tables without a server. The sashimi cuts have also gotten smaller. Where should my next spot be?

Visited a year ago

Pretty good sushi overall. Came here on a busy Saturday evening and was able to get seated. Service was excellent. Overall nice atmosphere and would recommend. Plenty of parking inside the Lincoln Square parking garage.

Visited a year ago

Kind of pricey but really great sushi. Their chirashi bowl is $25. Comes with a seaweed salad.

Visited a year ago

Poor service! We arrived 4 mins before happy hour and were told to wait, which we did. When we returned at 9p, 4 minutes later, same hostess didn’t remember us and asked us the same questions again (did we have reservations, how many people in our party). Then we waited almost 10 mins before anyone approached us, dropping off room temp water. It wasn’t busy as there were only 2 other parties seated. We asked him about the specials and he said he only brings out water, doesn’t know anything about the food and to check with the waiter. We thought he was the waiter. Then the waiter finally comes over to take our order. I requested ice water and he proceeds to bring out a glass of ice, but did no water. Never refilled the water which was highly irritating and never checked up on us other than to tell us it’s last call. We saw him chatting and laughing with coworkers the entire time. Food was disappointing too as the yellowtail sashimi we ordered had a thick blood line that should have been trimmed off and the seafood ramen was way over cooked, the seafood was hard and ramen soggy. Don’t waste your time or money here.

Visited a year ago

Overpriced with a dull atmosphere and served on cheap diner plates. Not what one associates at a ‘Japanese’ restaurant charging the prices they do

Visited a year ago

After work my friend and I decided to have dinner at Japonessa. We order some nigiri and specialty rolls. I got home for about 30 minutes, I started to feel sick. I was puking all night. I ended up passing out in the bathroom. First time to this restaurant and it will be my last time.

Visited a year ago

PLEASE BRING BACK THE FRIED ICE CREAM
ITS BEEN AGES. IT WAS DISCONTINUED WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN IN UNIVERSITY AND NOW I GRADUATE 🧑🏾‍🎓 IN 2 WEEKS. LIKE MARIAH CAREY SAID, MAKE MY WISH COME TRUE

Visited a year ago

Food is ok but service can be better.

Visited a year ago

First time visiting. The waiter was friendly, the food was presented quickly and the taste of the food was sensational. My new favorite pkace!

Visited a year ago

Great food. Fresh.

Visited a year ago

Sometimes you get EXCELLENT service here, sometimes not.

Not the best vegetarian rolls. Laughing Buddha one is kind of gross- way too many pickled veggies in it, way too sweet, and I feel seriously ill after eating it. Wish they had some more normal vegetarian roll options like other sushi places in Seattle. Pales in comparison to places like Umi Sake.

Visited a year ago

Japonessa had a huge menu. Very fancy. Had a birthday party there and they brought out a brownie with a candle! I had the cheesecake pictured.

Visited a year ago

Decided to stop by for once and it didn’t disappoint! Tried the Tres Diablos rolls and they were fresh and very nicely garnished 👍.

Happy “hour” stretches to cover the entire lunch cycle so coming during lunch to order from that menu is a great way to save some cash.

Typical Japanese restaurant fare such as karaage and udon bowls are available as well as Chirashi bowls which I’m sure to try next time.

Water was kept full, but I do wish there were nicer reusable chopsticks instead of bamboo. Overall great experience with minimal wait on a Saturday midday 👍

Visited a year ago

My spouse and I went in, asked for a table (not reserved), the person at the host stand said they’re having a table cleaned in a couple of minutes and that she’ll call us, but waited for like 10 mins (she first said couple of minutes) just near the host stand where she could see us clearly and she did, but later asked us “are you guys waiting for a table?”
I mean like why else were we at the waiting area to be seated?? We said yes and after 2 mins, I asked her the wait time again? Then she replied saying there’s a table getting ready and the people have just got out, maybe 10 mins to be seated, I said we had to leave and left off from that place.

Note: While we waited there, 3-4 different couples were getting seated in, and we were still waiting in-front of her despite coming earlier than the others who got seated right after us.

Also, this is not the first time of dining in with Japonessa at Bellevue , we had gone there to dine-in a couple of times, but this time was just nothing but a bitter experience. The food is good, but if the customer experience isn’t good, I don’t think it’s worth dining at that place.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Overall, I would give this place a 4.75-star rating. We had a great time celebrating my nephew's 19th birthday here. The host was incredibly welcoming and friendly. The restaurant is spacious and cozy, with a nice vibe in the bar area. The service at the front and bar was excellent and friendly. Although the service in the dining room was a bit slow, the food was delicious, I especially enjoyed the scallops dish. The bartender's drinks were skillfully made and delightful. They offer validated parking, but note that hot sauce costs an additional $0.50, and there's a $15 cake cutting fee if you bring your own cake. Overall, it is a highly recommended experience with just a few minor points to consider.

Visited a year ago

Love coming to this place when in Seattle. Food is really good and service is great! Nice happy hour as well.

Visited a year ago

We love going here to eat, it’s nice and fancy but not too pricey and has good sushi. We liked the Sweet Sensation, Mexican ninja, Seattle crunch and skin on skin (in that order). I think the value in a well made California roll is underestimated and oh did they make a mean spicy California roll. Edamame was good too. Not the biggest fan of the scorpion sting and Barcelona sunset.

Note: happy hour EVERYDAY (even Saturday) after 9pm and some other midday time. Highly recommend Japonessa.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

創意日式料理店
在Bellevue 有許多日式料理餐廳，選擇這家離我住宿旅館較近，Google 評分也不差一家日式料理。

前面幾道前餐沙拉，讓我驚艷，各種食材搭配讓味覺上非常享受，後面點了握壽司，我同事點了生魚片。

握壽司食材可以，但醋飯不行，裡面吧台的師傅，看到都是墨裔，非日本師傅，手藝應該還是有差！

也點了一盅清酒，吃了舒服，喝了也不錯。

記得如有停車，請將停車證給員工，可以免費停車。

Visited a year ago

The best thing here that I've tried is the Spanish Lover roll. It's amazing: scallops and seared White King salmon with the perfect toppings of black tobiko, chili oil and cilantro aioli. It's my favorite roll I've had in the Seattle area, and it's why I give Sushi Cocina 5 stars.

However: Most everything else I've tried has been pretty decent, but not nearly as impressive. Minus the Spanish Lover (and at least one other roll I can't remember), I'd probably give Sushi Cocina 4 to 4.5 stars. For traditional sushi, there are better places. But this roll alone makes it worth it!

Visited a year ago

Japonessa is a Staple. The Staff are always nice and friendly. Great service. You can always count on them being on Point.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Good food! Definitely recommend but our server wasn’t it. He either had a hard day or just really didn’t like us.

Visited a year ago

Amazing drinks and selection. The tempera'd brie was soft on the tempura and melty, a refreshing take on wonderful cheese. We had one of the Seattle Cocktail Week options, Paper Wings, which was citrusy and bright without being acidic or bitter, but very well balanced.

Visited a year ago

Took my wife on a lunch date here. The ambience within the restaurant is one of culture and sophistication. The staff are extremely professional and the food takes everything to a whole new level. Their sushi rolls are some of the best rolls in the city, and the sheer size of them makes this the best bang for your buck for the highest quality sushi in the area!

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Service is really rude, we are in the 5th of the waiting list, but they are keeping seating more than a dozen groups with small scale, the waitlist didn’t change at all. After we complained the mgr is rude to ask us to leave. Very disappointed about this place.

Visited a year ago

Good sushi. Only negative (if you have kids) is that there is no Kids menu; maybe that’s by design so they can maintain more of a date-night type vibe, but made our dinner with a 5yr old tough as the regular menu chicken terryaki was basically the only option. Service was Ok, nothing great.

Visited a year ago

Top-notch sushi restaurant. We ce here each time we visit Bellevue

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

I loveee veg sushi here. I’m not a raw fish person but at this place I am comfortable trying out sushi. Great quality and service. I’ve asked for some well cooked edamame and they did listen.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Incredibly rude and entitled service...
The staff ultimately ruined our experience and made us decide we would not spend our money here again.

Sushi was good, but def not 5 star worthy.

The atmosphere was loud and cramped, seats are right on top of one another.

Visited a year ago

Always great food 🍣

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Service is very slow and the most staff are regrettably rude. Good sushi.

Visited a year ago

Each order we placed took approximately 30 minutes to be served. The first order took 25 minutes, and then when we made another order, it took an additional 30 minutes. We spent a whole hour just waiting for the food.

Visited a year ago

Went out with a friend for her birthday and our server went above and behind to make her birthday celebration special. JB was very attentive, curtious, and funny. He even offered to sing Happy Birthday a brought us a little surprise. Definitely will be looking for JB next time we come back.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Excellent sushi! Their signature hand rolls were pretty good, not the best I’ve ever had but a good combination of flavors so it’s hard to go wrong.

The ceviche had a really poor presentation and was pretty average overall so I wouldn’t recommend that. Stick to the sushi.

Visited a year ago

Came here for lunch on a friend’s recommendation and it did not disappoint! The sushi was fresh and the service was top notch. We got seated in the bar area and it’s apparently happy hour all day until 5:30pm which is awesome! I got the crispy rolls and California rolls which were both made fresh and fast. My friend got the calamari which was nice and crispy and came on a bed of salad. The price is amazing for how much food you get for a restaurant in Bellevue.

Free parking is also validated for 2hrs in the Lincoln Square south garages. Located on the 1st floor right across from Nordstrom Rack.

Visited a year ago

My first time at Japonessa! Really enjoyed the meal! I had California roll and my daughter had crispy California roll. Both were excellent! It’s a somewhat noisy atmosphere but other than that a great experience. Pictured is the crispy California roll and it was scrumptious!!

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Sushi is always top tier when I go to Japonessa. My most recent visit left me with mixed feelings. Food was amazing but unfortunately there were many mistakes in our order. The server was very kind but was not easily available.

Positives: Once they realized the several mistakes, the manager kindly apologize and gave the ones affected by this, 2 complementary beers and took off our two rolls from our order.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Fabulous Sushi! Can't wait to go back.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

It used to be a great place, not sure what happened. We got our soup cold after our sushi rolls, then we ordered some rolls to go and they were beyond tiny. Our left overs from the roll we had were larger than the full roll. Sad they lost their edge…

Visited a year ago

The salmon tacos were surprisingly incredible. I have no idea how they are so delicious. The sushi was good.

The prices are slightly high imho, but happy hour is good.

Visited a year ago

Reasonable prices, considering the quality!

Visited a year ago

Christmas Eve dinner of Sushi. Three generations. Everybody loved their meals. Staff were great with the young kids. Very enjoyable.

Visited a year ago

Very interesting place with a reasonable price. Good and friendly for kids and family. Almost all day happy hours. A definitely pit stop if you are around bellevue Square and looking for a decent Japanese cuisine. Must start with the calamari and edamame, followed by the takoyaki.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Sushi was fresh and delicious! Calamari was crispy! What I really liked was the way the food was served on top of a fresh salad! We were so lucky that we arrived there during their Happy Hour! I loved the food and the most reasonable price!!

Visited a year ago

Very nice omakase

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

The server who served us was racist. She brought the only color skinned guy's food 20 minutes late among all the other caucasian coworkers. She didn't even apologize and made it look as if it's normal. Wow

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

We ordered Green decadence (more avacado) and laughing Buddha (more mango), both are great vegetarian options. One of the best sushi’s we had.

Visited a year ago

Great sushi! Great service. High quality ingredients! I am gluten free (Celiac) and they were able to accommodate, they had a GF menu and GF soy sauce for the table. Had no issues after! Will be going back!

Visited a year ago

Delicious sushi served quick in an upscale setting.Spicy tuna is always recommended. Will be back for happy hour activities! Arigato!

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

The food was good, the service was kind of slow.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Sushi place with a Mexican twist. Expect to find rolls with jalapeno peppers and mango. ~30 mins queue, good fresh ingredients and portions enough for sharing.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

This is a white washed Japanese wanabe restaurant. Nothing they serve is authentic, as reflected in the non-Asians that dine here. The chicken karaage is a joke, it’s cut up chicken nuggets fried, and looks nothing like an actual chicken karaage.

Visited a year ago

Trust their delicious rolls and their customer service. Nice job.

Visited a year ago

Server took a while to greet us and took our order, then disappeared after. They gave us our food without telling us what it was, just dropped it on the table. It was missing an order too but they disappeared before we could say anything. Sushi was clearly made in a rush, poorly rolled and didn’t even taste that good. I came out saying thank you and the hostess just glared at me. Not worth the hype.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

The had a great selection of fish.

Visited a year ago

Japonessa Sushi Cocina is my annual go-to when visiting my cousin, and it never disappoints! The ambiance is beautiful, and the staff's warmth adds to the experience. The miso soup is a calming delight, and the sushi is simply delicious. Surprisingly, the tempura surpassed my expectations – a newfound favorite. Always a pleasure returning for dinner and quality family time. Can't wait to share some mouthwatering pictures! 😇🍣 #JaponessaSushiCocina #SushiDelight

Visited a year ago

Celebrated our anniversary here. Everything was good. Portion sizes were decent and our server was very sweet.

Visited a year ago

Food and service was good. Only a little too noisy as a fancy restaurant.

Visited a year ago

Best sashimi in Seattle!!!

Visited a year ago

I found a zip tie in my sushi. I also don't feel like they handled the situation very well. When messaging the restaurant about the poor service and zip tie in my food, part of their response was saying we had 10 people and a 8 person reservation. We actually had a 12 person reservation and only 10 were able to make it. I understand large groups are harder to serve, but with 2 less people then on the reservation, that should at least slightly make up for it. Would never recommend this restaurant.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Great sushi and taco

Visited a year ago

Idk what happened to this restaurant after covid! The food has changed, it’s a lot of rice and mayonnaise/sause in their rolls and it’s not the best sushi honestly. Their prices are good though. I would still go but not my favorite place. Service used to be better too.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Suboptimal quality food at exorbitant prices. Mediocre ambience at best. No complaints on their service but they charge 10% service charges even on take aways.

We ordered Matador role and we could taste and see the old fish in it. Given this role is priced at $25 (excluding taxes), the least we expected is fresh food. Rest of the dishes were decent but weren't up to the mark of the price tag charged.

Additionally, the actual prices and prices quoted in the menu were different.

I loved their Seattle branch on my last visit but my visit to Japonessa Bellevue was just disappointing.

To summarize, you don't get what you pay for at this place. The food isn't the worst but the overall experience isn't worth the cost.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited 2 years ago

Pretty good good and ambience. Our last waiter here was attentive and pleasant.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Fast and friendly service. Good sized portions. Got 3 rolls, the Bellevue, Mexican ninja, and sasquatch as well as some chicken karaage. Wait staff is attentive without being intrusive. Good tasted fantastic. Love this place

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Went here for happy hour and the rolls were pretty trash. I wouldn't go back or recommend this place.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

My go to sushi spot in Bellevue, almost always happy hour. Lots of good rolls sushimi is amazing! Always fresh and delicious. Kind servers, attentive and respectful! Highly recommend !!

Visited 2 years ago

Great Happy Hour

Visited 2 years ago

My wife and I arrived for an early lunch Saturday, June 3rd. She had seafood sushi and I had sukiyaki beef with veggies and clear noodles in soup. First we had mixed tempura and after we had soufflé cheesecake with blueberry sauce.
The food and service were both excellent. My soup was really a comfort food with tasty beef. The broth of her seafood udon was something special, really a culinary creation. YUM!
That describes the super-light cheesecake as well, something unique!
I am not a huge fan of tempura, but this dish was a learn-to-love experience. The light, crunchy breaded coating was delicious and the mysteries it hid were too, okra, sweet potato, mushroom, shrimp, etc.
The servers were cordial, personable and quick.
The atmosphere was too noisy for me, music was too loud. At least there was not a roaring crowd as in the downtown location. We were seated in the bar with a big-enough table and plenty of space for comfort and privacy.
We were surprised to have such a treat of a luncheon with dessert for only $58.00.
Parking in the basement of Lincoln Square was free all day. What a gift!
This experience will draw us back from our home in the Admiral District. We habitually go to Southcenter, but this is actually closer and much, much nicer.
Thank you, Japonessa.

UPDATE 10/28/2023
Another satisfying lunch at Japonessa, with a different dessert this time. We again ordered the tempura veggies, quick to arrive and delicious.
The food all seems so healthy! My wife had green tea while I pined for coffee. It's not a staple of Asian dining, LOL.
We ordered 4 pieces of maguro sushi, plain rice and plain ahi tuna. My wife had mixed some wasabi into the soy sauce and unfortunately I got too much both times. The saltiness overpowered the tuna and rice tastes.
We love that seafood udon!
For dessert we enjoyed macadamia chocolate mousse cake. Yummy!
The hostess, busser, and our server Tiffanie were attentive and friendly. We arrived before noon and the restaurant was not too crowded.
The check came in at about sixty dollars, which seemed just about right for this high quality food, atmosphere and hospitality.
We'll go again no doubt!

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago