Takai by Kashiba

This review is for a couple visits last year for omakase. The fish selection was pretty good, and there were other dishes like chawan mushi, shishito tempura and the dessert was tamago cake and ice cream Ambiance and service were excellent too. They also returned our coats warm. Definitely a more upscale place and better that the Kashiba in Seattle by Pike place.

Visited 2 months ago

- great ambiance, but sushi bar may be better -

Since Takai doesn't open on Mondays, we had to celebrate my husband's bday one day ahead. I booked it one week ahead since all the sushi bar spots were taken and there were plenty of dining table reservations left. Through research, I found the entrance of the parking lot is on the 2nd street next to semicolon cafe, and the discount code to use for the parking app to get 2 hours of parking for free (hint: the code is the food that they serve, don't wanna be explicit so people won't abuse it).

We were 7 minutes early and was told that we can either get drinks at the bar area or just wait for the exact time.. since we weren't drinkers, we decided to just wait. 2 minutes past our reservation time (7:45 pm), they led us to our table at the corner of the store. The little round table is rather romantic. Surprisingly, there were no other guests dining at that time. I'm guessing they only do one dining table reservation at a time and the reservations are 15 min apart.

Upon sitting, we can choose either complimentary water or sparkling water. They refill the glasses throughout the meal and the water was also from a bottle instead of tap water.

During our meal, we get the following:
1*. Appetizer (3 small bites of assorted dishes)
2. Minced raw tuna with seaweed (so like a handroll without rice)
3. 4 pieces of sashimi
4. 6 nigiri sushi
5. Chawanmushi (savory egg custard)
6. 3 pieces of tuna from lean to fat
7*. A piece of cooked salmon
8. 5 nigiri sushi with tamagoyaki
9 miso soup and a small hojicha ice cream from Nana's green tea.

Based from the reviews, #1 and 7 can change randomly for each day. Everything was fresh with a good quality, but it wasn't as formal as other omakase places I've been to because there is no sheet of paper listing everything you will be served for the day (or maybe it's for sushi bar only). I also felt like their dishes are also more americanized and less authentic.. the cooked salmon was disappointing as I could have made something similar at home. The miso soup was also disappointing as I'd prefer a really good cup of green tea to go with the ice cream. We got sparkling champagne on the house to celebrate his birthday, but the portions were small. The sushi rice was also smaller portion, even though they did ask us if the rice portion was fine after #4. I thought it would be nicer to get the customization figured out before serving anything. I also felt one of the salmon nigiri wasn't as high quality as the rest. The service was also a bit lacking as they never refilled my ginger pieces, though my water was refilled constantly. Again, it's the small things that is lacking..

This place is nice, and the ambiance is as romantic as you can get in Bellevue that's somewhat close to canlis. However, the meal lacks some wow factors. For example, I still remember the delicious rice from Taneda or the complimentary cake from Sai sushi. Just like other people said, it's good but there is something missing. The only thing that was interesting was the tamagoyaki since the upper half has a hello texture, and the lower half have a cake texture.

When I was in Japan, I enjoyed my kaiseki meals there when they turned common ingredients into something else through cooking, and it's like an art. This isn't a kaiseki restaurant, so quality is more important and I think the sourcing of ingredients or the type of ingredients they source didn't meet my expectation. The portion was also smaller than expected, even the hojicha ice cream served was like 1/2 of the ones from other omakase places.. Though to be fair, dining table experiences tend to be less fancy and you have more intimate time with your partner which I appreciate.

The con unfortunately outweighs the pro so we are unlikely to visit again. I will likely explore the omakase places that I haven't been to but heard about for a while.

This place is more like a 3 for me, but I'm giving it a 4 since my husband had a good time here and we talked a lot during the meal.

Visited 5 months ago

Menu does not have many options other than omakase so just went with omakase. Loved the appetizer and most of the fish selections, except that there were too many tuna. Chaqamushi was savory and yummy too. Speedy service like they literally served the next course when we were done one course. Extremely friendly staff.

Visited 6 months ago

One of the best Omakase I have had in US. Chef Jun was great at serving us and explaining in detail what we were eating and where it was sourced from. We also had the pleasure to meet Shiro Kashiba who said hello and checked we had a good time. Overall the best experience and food.

Visited 7 months ago

Phenomenal omakase where the chefs have an amazing attention to detail! I enjoyed the Sakura drink along with the fish as well :) It’s pricy but I’d for sure go again.

Visited 7 months ago

At first I was apprehensive to go as Bellevue isn't exactly the place for sushi, but this was a really good Edo style sushi Omakase. The fish was excellent and the aging techniques utilized made it that much better.

Highly recommend the counter experience, especially the wine /sake pairing.

Visited 8 months ago

Best sushi experience in Bellevue.. the host was not so nice to me to the point we almost left but my waiter and the food made up for it. Make sure you make reservations on their website and don't use OpenTable as if you do they don't honor the reservations 100% take my wife out for her birthday we chose this restaurant and the host almost ruined it.

Visited 9 months ago

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Takai by Kashiba, and the experience was truly exceptional. The chef's meticulous selection of fresh and high-quality ingredients resulted in a delightful culinary journey. Each course was a masterpiece, showcasing a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The personalized and attentive service added to the overall enjoyment. A memorable omakase experience that I would highly recommend to any food enthusiast.

Visited a year ago

Visited a month ago

Best sushi experience in Bellevue.. the host was not so nice to me to the point we almost left but my waiter and the food made up for it. Make sure you make reservations on their website and don't use OpenTable as if you do they don't honor the reservations 100% take my wife out for her birthday we chose this restaurant and the host almost ruined it.

Visited 2 months ago

Visited 2 months ago

This review is for a couple visits last year for omakase. The fish selection was pretty good, and there were other dishes like chawan mushi, shishito tempura and the dessert was tamago cake and ice cream Ambiance and service were excellent too. They also returned our coats warm. Definitely a more upscale place and better that the Kashiba in Seattle by Pike place.

Visited 2 months ago

Amazing food. Well worth the price for a sushi fan. I recommend the tea pairing - fascinating flavors. Still among our favorite celebration places.

Visited 3 months ago

The sushi bar experience is a must try. I appreciate Chef Jun's ability to consistently put together such diverse and creative menus that keep me coming back.

Visited 3 months ago

Visited 3 months ago

A wonderful experience!

Visited 3 months ago

Overpriced. The best dish was a tofu dish in a sushi restaurant..

Visited 4 months ago

Visited 4 months ago

Dinner was amazing!

Visited 4 months ago

Visited 4 months ago

- great ambiance, but sushi bar may be better -

Since Takai doesn't open on Mondays, we had to celebrate my husband's bday one day ahead. I booked it one week ahead since all the sushi bar spots were taken and there were plenty of dining table reservations left. Through research, I found the entrance of the parking lot is on the 2nd street next to semicolon cafe, and the discount code to use for the parking app to get 2 hours of parking for free (hint: the code is the food that they serve, don't wanna be explicit so people won't abuse it).

We were 7 minutes early and was told that we can either get drinks at the bar area or just wait for the exact time.. since we weren't drinkers, we decided to just wait. 2 minutes past our reservation time (7:45 pm), they led us to our table at the corner of the store. The little round table is rather romantic. Surprisingly, there were no other guests dining at that time. I'm guessing they only do one dining table reservation at a time and the reservations are 15 min apart.

Upon sitting, we can choose either complimentary water or sparkling water. They refill the glasses throughout the meal and the water was also from a bottle instead of tap water.

During our meal, we get the following:
1*. Appetizer (3 small bites of assorted dishes)
2. Minced raw tuna with seaweed (so like a handroll without rice)
3. 4 pieces of sashimi
4. 6 nigiri sushi
5. Chawanmushi (savory egg custard)
6. 3 pieces of tuna from lean to fat
7*. A piece of cooked salmon
8. 5 nigiri sushi with tamagoyaki
9 miso soup and a small hojicha ice cream from Nana's green tea.

Based from the reviews, #1 and 7 can change randomly for each day. Everything was fresh with a good quality, but it wasn't as formal as other omakase places I've been to because there is no sheet of paper listing everything you will be served for the day (or maybe it's for sushi bar only). I also felt like their dishes are also more americanized and less authentic.. the cooked salmon was disappointing as I could have made something similar at home. The miso soup was also disappointing as I'd prefer a really good cup of green tea to go with the ice cream. We got sparkling champagne on the house to celebrate his birthday, but the portions were small. The sushi rice was also smaller portion, even though they did ask us if the rice portion was fine after #4. I thought it would be nicer to get the customization figured out before serving anything. I also felt one of the salmon nigiri wasn't as high quality as the rest. The service was also a bit lacking as they never refilled my ginger pieces, though my water was refilled constantly. Again, it's the small things that is lacking..

This place is nice, and the ambiance is as romantic as you can get in Bellevue that's somewhat close to canlis. However, the meal lacks some wow factors. For example, I still remember the delicious rice from Taneda or the complimentary cake from Sai sushi. Just like other people said, it's good but there is something missing. The only thing that was interesting was the tamagoyaki since the upper half has a hello texture, and the lower half have a cake texture.

When I was in Japan, I enjoyed my kaiseki meals there when they turned common ingredients into something else through cooking, and it's like an art. This isn't a kaiseki restaurant, so quality is more important and I think the sourcing of ingredients or the type of ingredients they source didn't meet my expectation. The portion was also smaller than expected, even the hojicha ice cream served was like 1/2 of the ones from other omakase places.. Though to be fair, dining table experiences tend to be less fancy and you have more intimate time with your partner which I appreciate.

The con unfortunately outweighs the pro so we are unlikely to visit again. I will likely explore the omakase places that I haven't been to but heard about for a while.

This place is more like a 3 for me, but I'm giving it a 4 since my husband had a good time here and we talked a lot during the meal.

Visited 5 months ago

The service was amazing, but for the price ($250/person withOUT any drinks) I personally found the experience over priced.

Visited 5 months ago

Visited 5 months ago

소문듣고 갔습니다 시애틀에서 가장맛있는 스시집이라고 해서 기대많이했습니다

한마디로 사시미와 스시를 아는 사람이라면 절대로 못먹습니다
일본가서 맛을보세요 얼마나 엉터리인지를 아실겁니다

Visited 5 months ago

Visited 5 months ago

My husband and I have had omakase around Seattle for 10 years and Takai became our new favorite. It has more variety of fishes in smaller pieces so you get to enjoy more. Most of the sushi are longer aged l, where I felt like third of the pieces are aged for 2 weeks although I didn't count. We're definitely coming back!

Visited 5 months ago

We had omakase, it’s just pretty much an average, definitely not something you would expect at this price point. Attitude is not welcome either.

Visited 5 months ago

Visited 5 months ago

Did omakase with takai-san. I would say, it’s one of the top sushi joints in PNW. Very fresh, detailed, and delicious. It’s classic omakase so very minimal fusion techniques. Feels more personal than Kashiba omakase, similar if not higher quality especially if it’s important for you to eat fish from Japan. Easily comps to one Michelin star sushi places in other US cities.

Visited 5 months ago

Had the takeout omakase given our busy schedules and it was so disappointing even though we ate it right away after pick up. The fish in the nigiri/sashimi and the rice did not taste fresh as it had a very sour taste (although the shrimp was good). I would not return for the full omakase if this is the quality of the takeout and it's not worth the $100 per box.

Visited 5 months ago

Menu does not have many options other than omakase so just went with omakase. Loved the appetizer and most of the fish selections, except that there were too many tuna. Chaqamushi was savory and yummy too. Speedy service like they literally served the next course when we were done one course. Extremely friendly staff.

Visited 6 months ago

Visited 6 months ago

Visited 6 months ago

Phenomenal Omakase! This is easily the best Sushi restaurant we've ever been too. I'm talking eyes roll to the back of head good. Perfect date night

Visited 6 months ago

This was one of the best omakase experiences I've ever had! I visited on a Sunday for a friend's birthday, and the entire experience was amazing from start to finish. The host was kind, and our server, Rachel, was incredibly attentive to our party. She even offered us a glass of sake to celebrate my friend’s birthday. Chef Jun was fantastic and explained each dish in detail. The omakase was definitely worth it, though I wish the $60 corkage fee was a bit lower. Despite that, the omakase price is well worth it, and I'll definitely be back!

Visited 6 months ago

By far the best sushi on the Eastside. Omakase is like

Visited 6 months ago

I am writing a late review since I haven't been here for a while, but my past experiences are amazing.
The fish they use are both fresh and professionally aged to bring out a more sophisticated and better tasting flavor. I was most amazed by their Otoro and Sardine - both having a very nice flavor that I could not imagine before.
And I would like to mention their tea pairing. They have this specialty tea pairing set, which is surprisingly great. The tea is great (please tell me how did you source these tea leaves), and pairing is also very nicely designed. I recommend everyone that is into tea to give this a try.
The one thing I assume some people might not be very happy with would be their dessert menu is just regular. Nothing fancy, actually just basic stuff. I am not a big fan of after meal dessert so I am fine with it.

Visited 7 months ago

Best sushi on the east side! Chef Jun worked under Shiro, quality, selection of fish, attention to detail is outstanding. Try to book omakase at the sushi bar.

Visited 7 months ago

Phenomenal omakase where the chefs have an amazing attention to detail! I enjoyed the Sakura drink along with the fish as well :) It’s pricy but I’d for sure go again.

Visited 7 months ago

Not to my expectations.

Visited 7 months ago

Too pricy. Bad attitude.

Visited 7 months ago

Get the wine pairing with the course.

Visited 7 months ago

One of the best places I’ve ever been to eat. Chef jun was absolutely amazing. He was phenomenal and so were the rest of the staff as well I would love to come back some day.

Visited 7 months ago

The difference in quality between Shiro's (formerly owned by same chef) and Takai isn't really there to justify the 2X price.

Visited 7 months ago

One of the best Omakase I have had in US. Chef Jun was great at serving us and explaining in detail what we were eating and where it was sourced from. We also had the pleasure to meet Shiro Kashiba who said hello and checked we had a good time. Overall the best experience and food.

Visited 7 months ago

The best of Japanese restaurant in Washington state. Trust me.

Visited 7 months ago

Takai’s sushi counter omakase is our favorite in the Seattle area. The sushi is delicious, thoughtfully prepared, and always gives us something new. Chef and the team are lovely, and we will continue to come back.

Don’t sleep on their a la carte options. Popping in for their tuna platter is a great little treat.

Visited 7 months ago

At first I was apprehensive to go as Bellevue isn't exactly the place for sushi, but this was a really good Edo style sushi Omakase. The fish was excellent and the aging techniques utilized made it that much better.

Highly recommend the counter experience, especially the wine /sake pairing.

Visited 8 months ago

Good experience, good food.

Visited 8 months ago

Omakase has ridiculously small amounts of fish of mediocre quality overall, and pretty poor considering the price. The Spanish tuna was good, but balanced by basic sockeye salmon and hamachi from Uwajimaya. Third to half of the Omakase dishes didn’t contain raw fish. One contained previously frozen shrimp.
It would have been decent to pay least than $100 for this meal, and even then I would rate it as ok. But, given the price point ($160), that’s one if the worst sushi places I have ever dined in. Shiro’s in Seattle, for example, is far better, and cheaper.

Visited 8 months ago

Visited 8 months ago

The best sushi I've had and such a wonderful unique experience. I highly recommend the omakase.

Visited 8 months ago

Service very good. Food was great.

Visited 8 months ago

Food was decent. What you would expect from a good omakase. Service was good, some were in training but well done overall. We did came across a piece of fish scale, and the server said she will tell the chef. But didn't get any follow up to the issue. I fully understand a scale had showed up considering everything was fresh. But omakase is for the experience, if the server has told the chef about the scale and the chef decided to do nothing about it, I can't help to feel the experience was not as good as it could have been.

Visited 8 months ago

We informed the restaurant that we are late and then checked to see if it was ok to still come in. They said that they would seat us if we cane before 6:15pm. We arrived 3 min earlier than that and they declined to seat us saying it was the chef’s decision. For a service based industry this is completely unacceptable.when I insisted they honor their word, the front desk staff asked me to leave and threatened to call the cops.

Visited 9 months ago

Food was great and it’s a nice choice for omakase experience here on the Eastside. Their service was good and our server was attentive and kind. Food was definitely delicate and delicious, and all the flavors were well put together and not overpowering at all. It is a quiet ambiance and courses came out at a great pace.

An annoyance was that there were dogs allowed in this restaurant, this was on NYE. A guest decided to bring in her small poodle that was very obviously not a service dog. It was quite irritating during our experience at Takai that this dog was allowed in, because it was sniffing us and whimpering and barking during the dinner. What drove me crazy was the shaking it would do and the hair would fall out and float in the air. I really would expect a restaurant to have some sort of resistance against dog owners like this.

Otherwise the food and restaurant were great, I just wish there was a bit more strictness on the dog policy given that this is a pretty high price point for dining especially in Bellevue.

Visited 9 months ago

Unreal experience. We opted for the omakase. No regrets. This place is in a class above the rest. Jun Takai is very talented!

Visited 9 months ago

The omakase here was interesting, as there were 3 eel dishes. My first time at an omakase eating so much eel. Also a couple of the fish were dry aged. The seafood was a mix from Hokkaido, Mexico , Hawaii and Seattle. I think 3-4 dishes were tuna ( different levels of fattiness). Chef Jun asked us if the rice level was acceptable . I personally like the smaller portion of rice. The tamago here was quite dense. I was quite full after the 20+ dishes.

The miso soup here stood out to other omakase since it includes 3 large clams. They served sardines and was able to make it good.

In my lifetime, I have had a lot of geoduck. I was unimpressed by the geoduck sashimi. I thought the preparation overpower the natural flavor. I rather eat the geoduck sashimi at dolar shop.

The omakase experience here took around 2 hours, which to me is fast. Most of the places I been to have taken longer than 2 hours.

Parking was fairly easy and free. The parking lot's entrance is on 2nd .

Service was ok! The guy that checked us in seem indifferent. Other service members were more friendly. I am a fan that they store our jackets in a heated cabinet. They provide me with a handbag hook.

Visited 9 months ago

非常可怕的经历。我的太太因不满冷漠的前台接待人员拒绝明确指示车场的具体位置而被请出餐厅，这位自称经理的前台接待人员居然报了警而且向警察谎称我的太太向他及其他服务人员吼叫！我和我的太太同为寿司爱好者，为了庆祝我们的结婚纪念日，我的太太特意预订了这家素有西雅图寿司传奇之称的Shiro Kashiba先生在Bellevue的新店。因为我在这位冷漠的前台接待人员粗略描述下无法找到其停车场，所以打电话给已进入餐厅的我的太太以希望得倒前台接待人员的明确指引。正是这个小小的请求葬送了我们美好夜晚。不敢相信一贯以服务著称的日本餐厅居然如此对待慕名而来的客人，真希望他们只是雇佣了错误的人而非其待客之道。

Visited 9 months ago

Visited 9 months ago

我们今天的结婚纪念日被毁了，前台接待的人自称自己是餐厅的经理，从一开始进门那一刻，对方就是完全面无表情的，完全没有欢迎的态度，但是没关系我们是来吃饭的，也没有在意。当我的丈夫到他们指定的停车场时，我担心我的丈夫找不到就打电话给他，我的丈夫说不确定所在停车场是不是他们餐厅的停车场，我就拿起电话找前台去问，前台没有一丝微笑表情僵硬的告诉我说，如果你丈夫找不到停车场就回来问我，但是现在我不能接你电话，我说请你接电话和我丈夫再说一下具体位置可以吗？对方依然拒绝接电话，我问那谁可以帮助我？对方说很抱歉我就是不能接电话。我走回用餐位置，和服务员抱怨为什么前台不能帮助我们接电话来确认停车位置，我觉得很不好。经理一会走过来直接说，依然面无表情的说，如果你想离开，欢迎你离开。等到我丈夫回来后，我走出去和丈夫说停车的事情。等我们再回去，经理直接说这里不再欢迎你们来这用餐了。还威胁我说永远不能再回去用餐，否则就叫警察过来。我说今天是我们的结婚纪念日，这个经理说，无所谓, it’s doesn’t matter with me.我说你不觉得这样对一个女士很粗鲁吗，他说没关系，随便你怎么想，反正你就是得离开，whatever you think, your behavior is not welcome to us.我说我的哪些行为，我做什么了，我什么时候吵了吗？吼你们了吗？他说没关系，我不想和你讨论这个，你必须得离开。最后我说OK，那请你叫警察吧，我不知道我做错了什么。最后警察来了，都是非常好的人，说那个经理在电话里说我吼了他们，用yelling这个词去形容我，说完yelling了他们的服务员，说我yelling了他自己。天啊，这个人在撒谎啊！我为什么要yelling那个女服务生，她对我很好，一直帮助我，我没有理由yelling她的，我根本没有做这样的事情。上帝，我发誓我绝对没有吼他们。我最后是哭着离开餐厅的。我真的是第一次碰到这种情况，我被上了这家餐厅的黑名单。我去过很多米其林餐厅，第一次被这样对待，我真的什么都没有做，我也没有吵。没有他们说的喊叫。我对上帝发誓绝对没有。这个穿黑衣服的就是他们的经理。大家来这家餐厅前要谨慎考虑。一个餐厅雇佣了一个没有服务态度且谎话连篇的人，祝你们这个店好运吧😱🤔

Visited 9 months ago

The food and experience was amazing 11/10
But the SHINING STAR WAS THE CHEF. I’m left handed so when the chef gave me sushi facing my left hand instead of right, it warmed my heart that he cared that much and noticed that. He’s a true empath fr and even offered to give free pieces of sushi if anyone wanted another

Visited 9 months ago

The owners are like royalty in the world of sushi.

Visited 10 months ago

Best

Visited 10 months ago

Good meal. Service was very good. I was hoping I could say “great”, but when compared to other experiences at places like Sawada, Kyubey, Yasuda, Nakazawa, etc, it’s just ok. Don’t get me wrong - we enjoyed ourselves but it was overpriced when compared to the greats.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

My first experience with a Omakase course. All the dishes tasted amazing. My husband and I sat with 10 others around the main sushi bar; an 8 course meal that lasted 2 hours.
So many varieties of aged and fish with combos of flavors I wouldn't have tried before.
The vibes are upscale with a fine selection of Japanese whiskeys,
For the price, it was well worth it in my opinion because of the experience and high quality fish.
I hope we will come back again soon.

Visited a year ago

Very nice sushi dinner experience for my family. Sushi was delicious and we had a memorable time.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Amazing & delicious! Very classy place but Chef Jun was very friendly. Worth it!

Visited a year ago

Best omakase experience in Seattle area among the many very good ones

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

A delightful Omakase experience. My partner and I enjoyed every dish and had a lot of fun watching the chefs prepare everything.

Visited a year ago

A delightful Omakase experience. My partner and I enjoyed every dish and had a lot of fun watching the chefs prepare everything.

Visited a year ago

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Takai by Kashiba, and the experience was truly exceptional. The chef's meticulous selection of fresh and high-quality ingredients resulted in a delightful culinary journey. Each course was a masterpiece, showcasing a perfect balance of flavors and textures. The personalized and attentive service added to the overall enjoyment. A memorable omakase experience that I would highly recommend to any food enthusiast.

Visited a year ago

Takai sits in a league of its own. Immediately knew how great this place was upon my first interaction with the bartender Danny. Extremely knowledgeable in his Whiskies and worked extremely hard to create a 1/1 experience. The selection of fish is unbeatable. The omakase bar is a must if you are interested in trying expertly sourced fish. Just show up and come eat, all that needs to be said.

Visited a year ago

Almost worth the price, which makes it pretty amazing :)

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Amazing omakase experience. Chef Jun Takai was a great host and delighted us with incredible food.

Visited a year ago

We had a wonderful dinner at Takei by Kashiba last weekend for my wife's birthday. We all ordered the omakase menu, with 12 courses designed by the chef.
We started off with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine to celebrate my wife's birthday, and proceeded to a first course of chopped, seasoned otoro on a nori square, to be eaten like a taco.

We proceeded through a number of sushi and sashimi options, both fresh and aged (edomae style).
The range of fish selection was impressive, and all dishes were artfully arranged.

In particular, the edomae aged sushi was unusual and an interesting culinary experience.

We finished with toasted green tea ice cream and a small rectangle of sweet tamagoyaki.

It's a great restaurant, and I would recommend it highly.

P.S. -- the green beer was a japanese match beer-- really tasty!

Visited a year ago

Outstanding omakase. Sat at the counter. Would definitely return.

Visited a year ago

Loved the chef's omakase here! The restaurant has a beautiful atmosphere and an extensive Japanese whiskey bar. The staff is warm and knowledgeable. Pro tip - ask for the secret dessert pairing :)

Visited a year ago

This was an amazing omakase experience, probably the best I’ve had in seattle. The entire experience was top tier, from when you’re greeted at the front to when you leave. Service was amazing, and the fish was so fresh.

I would highly recommend their omakase, which was $160/person. We were very full after and delighted by the chef’s choices.

The atmosphere was intimate and fancy. Reservations most likely needed on Fri-Sun nights. Parking was a breeze in the garage, they also validate so it’s free. Will definitely come back.

Visited a year ago

This is a fantastic place to experience sushi. The counter experience allows for so many flavour experiences as the chef adds the wasabi, soy sauce and other toppings to enhance the fish.

Visited a year ago

結婚記念日にカウンターにてお食事しました。
熟成させたネタ、季節のおすすめ(ウニ、松茸の土瓶蒸しなど)などと共に日本酒とワイン、シャンパンのペアリングも楽しめます。

Visited a year ago

Everything the Chef delivered to our table was top notch quality, very tasty, well prepared, perhaps just a tad on the small size (although one could argue given the many courses size should be smaller). Also, aside the Omakase there was very little choice on the menu.
Service was good as well, courteous and precise. The place was a little bit of a let down, I would have expected more, but it didn't detract too much from our experience (definitely clean and well kept).
So, definitely a good sushi experience, even if at that price point it should step up on quantity and ambiance.

Visited a year ago

My wife and I enjoyed the counter omakase with 8 other patrons. I can’t really compare this with other restaurants as it has been a few years since we had similar dining options, but we both thought the service was quite refined.

Fish was not only fresh, there were also interesting preparations that required aging of fish (like aged beef!). There was one dish where we had slices of aged vs fresh hirame (flounder). The differences were subtle but intriguing.

The wine and sake pairing was a good addition to the meal. We just shared one because I needed to drive. 😁 There were 2 champagne (one rosé) and one white wine, with three sakes. The sakes were all on the sweeter side, but paired well with fish.

Overall it was a great experience and on the east side this is a must-visit if you enjoy sushi.

Note that there is a parking garage under one88 where the restaurant is located for 2-hour complimentary parking (with code provided by restaurant) - just the time needed for the omakase course. 😅

Visited a year ago

Pales in comparison to places like Shiro’s and Kashiba. I can’t justify the insanely high prices here when Shiros is literally half and Kashiba is less for a much better experience.

Service was stoic, scripted, and rushed. Food was good but not great. Was very disappointed.

Maybe the a la carte is better here? In any case the omakase wasn’t worth it at all. I will note we had the table experience instead of the counter but this was never a problem anywhere else I went. Here it might actually matter, maybe the counter experience is astronomically better I hope for their sake.

Visited a year ago

Visited a year ago

Great food with excellent service

Visited a year ago

What an amazing meal to end an epic 19 day adventure. The Omakase wasn’t just a meal but an experience.

Visited a year ago

it was interesting. my first time here. we had a 500$+ date night (2x omakase) and left hungry and underwhelmed. the dishes are small and ordinary (literally small plates with even smaller tiny pieces of fish on it : never more than 3 tiny bites ). it felt rushed. and scripted. a small plate arrived. with a quick narrative of what it was. then the servers disappeared. overall it was decent sushi. clean. but for 500$+ omakase super underwhelming. it felt the total food we got across all the courses was maybe less quantity than a single rainbow roll. maybe ala carte is better here ?

Visited a year ago

Woow it was one of the best omakase experiences we have ever had! It is pricy, but it is worth it!

Visited a year ago

The tuna uni ikura hand roll was BOMBBB. The chef’s choice had a nice assortment and pieces were fine-good. They do age their sashimi which should prime them for the best flavor/texture, but I was not wow-ed for the price. Some pieces were a little dry. Maybe it was an off day? Not sure. Amaebi and otoro were good as always though! For the price, I would maybe go elsewhere. The omakase might be better? We’ll come back at some point and maybe it’ll be better.

Visited a year ago

A very good night out, but not quite at the level of elite restaurants. $600 for 2 with drinks an tip was just a little too much

Visited a year ago

Food is undeniably delicious. Up until the end the service was excellent. But being rushed out at the end of a meal (where they control the pace) is pretty unacceptable for the price point. Ambiance could also be improved; they’re on the first floor of a busy street which doesn’t feel particularly refined.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

The service here is impeccable and the food is perfect. There is a big attention to detail here from the staff which is very noticeable. Will come here again soon

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Really amazing food. Waiters presented each dish and described the order in which we should eat each item of sushi, and despite sushi usually being pretty light and leaving my stomach half empty, this was filling and delicious.

My only feedback is that the wasabi portions (already assembled into the sushi) were irregular—occasionally there would be so much that it was overpowering where I couldn’t taste the fish, but most of the time it was a great balance of wasabi and fish. Just wanted to note that there are occasional pieces with too much wasabi.

Visited 2 years ago

We had the Omakase meal at Takai for four people. It was a wonderful taste of the local seafood combined with a great variety of well-planned house specialties. The service was fantastic and the attention to details was excellent. Definitely worth many returns. DJ

Visited 2 years ago

Went here for the anniversary dinner for regular $160 omakase. Got to seat at the whisky bar with the amazing bartender Daniel. We did not get to sit at the sushi bar today, but we definitely had a blast at the whisky bar. Food was great but felt a bit repetitive with too many medai, seabream - it could be because I restricted Mackarel. Pacing of the courses was perfect. The seaweed with gold-leaf and seafood egg custard was absolutely out of this world - it is simply the best in Seattle + greater Seattle (beats even Kashiba). The atmosphere was absolutely upscale, with correct level of acoustics. The hostess was highly efficient in accommodating our needs.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

The food here is out of this world! I didn’t think sushi could be so much better!

Visited 2 years ago

Great food quality, omakase was amazing!

Visited 2 years ago

Went there in September 2022. We arrived on time, waited a few minutes to get our seat. Service was slow to start (couldn’t get the servers attention to order drinks, etc) and yet the staff helpfully reminded us later that we had a limited seating time to make room for the next party. Pacing was entirely in their control, I’ll chalk that up to being a new restaurant at the time.

Food was good but not as consistent in preparation/quality as Kashiba, which is generally quite excellent. Both Takai and Kashiba are quite pricey, so I expect nothing less than excellent from both locations (hence the 4 star review).

Visited 2 years ago

One of the best sushi . Very fresh and delightful experience, with great service , warm ambience and very exclusively designed sushi preparation. Will be back to see if they change it up
All of the servings was amazing , my personal favorite was Chawanmushi. Nicely balanced with exquisite taste

Visited 2 years ago

This place is awesome but don't expect to get out without spending some cash. You get what you pay for

Visited 2 years ago

Absolutely terrible Sushi experience. The menu is v small. Just a few options.
Ordered a roll... Was told it's normal size..
Turned out it was just a single piece of 3 inches length. That's all!

The tofu dish was OK. Shishito peppers.. Mehhh

Go there if you want a good location, ambience and v expensive prices for terrible food.

Visited 2 years ago

Magical experience. Worth it to try.

Visited 2 years ago

The food and omakase experience is outrageously good along with an excellent selection of sake, shochu, etc. However, they are not kidding when they say "two hours max," as a very polite, apologetic server will ask you to leave at 2:01 after your reservation time. In their defense, they are very clear about the two-hour deadline when you make a reservation. But if you're catching up with friends and looking to linger over food and drink with good company, I would go elsewhere.

Particularly at ~$200 a head (with drinks).

Visited 2 years ago

I absolutely love visiting here, I've come 4 times now, tried the sushi counter twice, and table omakase twice nice.

Table Omakase: 03/2023 & 07/2023
Sushi Counter: 03/2023 & 07/2023

(Yes, I visited within the same month for both months, I'm a huge fan of edomae style omakase)

Table Omakase Experience is a wonderful option if you want time to speak to the guests you're dining with. It's still very interactive with the staff throughout the dining experience, and the staff is amazing with their knowledge of the dishes and drinks. It is an EXPERIENCE, which means they present the dishes and drinks and explain the items to you. Expect this, this is part of the experience. It is, of course, a chefs omakase, so you dont know whats in front of you until they place it down and explain it. Don't be afraid to ask them what drinks or dishes are called again. The table omakase begins with fresh hot towels and a sakazuki starter drink of your choice (either tea or sake) "the sakazuki cup is a beloved part of Japanese culture and is often associated with warmth, hospitality, and celebration." The spacing between the courses is perfect, allowing us a few minutes to enjoy the flavors and talk amongst each other what we just had. I highly recommend the wine/sake pairing every time you visit. It's custom paired to match the courses for that day. You get these boosts of flavor rolling in your palate. Table omakase has a mix of sashimi, side dishes, sushi, etc. It's honestly a really fun and beautiful experience to enjoy! Perfect for a meal that depicts edomae tradition with Jun-Sans bold aging and preparation processes, along with the kitchen chefs touches on several dishes.

For a really true chefs omakase experience, you can choose your option of sitting at the chefs counter and being served by Jun-San himself. The experience here is quite upgraded in comparison to the table experience, different dishes, and different cuts of fishes. Check out all the photos I've posted. There's a ton! There is obviously a price difference, I actually prefer to eat at the chefs counter because I get to eat that sushi fresh from Jun-San to me. As well as get first-hand experience being served from one of the few true edomae style sushi chefs in the world. Just as you experience at the table, you receive wonderful service from the sushi counter server, they're very attentive and you are presented with every detail to fully experience what they're serving you that day.

Chef Jun-San is amazing, he's got a very thick Japanese accent but just listen and focus closely, he explains the culture behind some of the dishes. Don't be afraid to talk to him or ask questions, he is very passionate about his work! Servers are also there to help answer questions too, Jun-Sans favorite cut is the sardine, and honestly, I'll have to admit I think it's now my favorite. Its by far been my favorite bite every time I have it there. It's like biting into a bite that lingers and develops more and more as you chew into it, take a sip of that pairing and you're diving into an abyss of eye rolls to the back of your head. If I had a choice I would love to take 10 more pieces of it. Mmm. So delicious!

Obviously there's so much I could explain and talk about on here.

Point is, this is an experience, come to taste, smell, learn about this style of dining. They follow very traditional processes and preparation, don't expect what you see in casual hyped up sushi spots. This is where you come to appreciate real love for Japanese food and passion that's put into these carefully constructed dishes and sushi.

I'm a huge fan and really love coming here! I appreciate the time, love, and experience I receive with every visit. Highly recommend!

Note: omakase portioning is a lot of food, it's a full meal, don't eat before you come in.

Parking: 2 hours free validation, use the code- sushi

Dress code: business casual, you can even come in more formal/dressy/ classy, respectful.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

A delicious experience not to miss. As soon as you are situated, the experience begins with a group of well-trained servers that help you enjoy every step of the way. Chef Jun and his team exceed expectations with a combination of flavors that capture all your senses. Every single piece of the Omakase experience is unique. I highly recommend their sake pairings; they complement the pieces and enrich the flavors without competing with your food.

Visited 2 years ago

We have been to Takai multiple times with both table ab bar seating. The experience has been consistently exceptional. Host, waiter, drink service are world class and one of the best sushi place in Seattle.

Visited 2 years ago

This is the most chill high-end Japanese restaurant experience in the greater Seattle area. From the hostess to the server to the waiters to the chefs. Every service was executed to a great degree. Food wise everything was well thought out with the amazing balance of flavors, textures and smells. Nothing was poorly executed on the food which was something we deeply appreciated. Looking forward for the next reason to visit the restaurant :)

Visited 2 years ago

Pretty good omakaze experience. Seemed a bit on the never ending sushi front. Tea pairing was great!

Visited 2 years ago

Truly unique omakase experience.

Visited 2 years ago

Finally a proper sushi Omakase on the east side! Chef Jun is working with some superb ingredients, dry-aging the fish where appropriate to enhance the flavors. The service is exceptionally friendly and accommodating as well, and the beverage program offers many solid selections across wine, sake, and Japanese whisky.

Visited 2 years ago

Takai by Kashiba is a sushi lover's dream. Chef Takai's omakase was amazing, with fresh and delicious fish and perfect sake pairings. The service and ambiance were also top-notch. This is the best sushi in town and I highly recommend it! Get a seat at the sushi bar.

Visited 2 years ago

Combination of:
- freshest of ingredients
- spot on service
- wonderful flavors

Excellent experience each and every time!

Visited 2 years ago

Takai seems to specialize in aged sushi. I had some aged cuts and types of fish I haven’t had anywhere else. It’s interesting - the flavor is more concentrated, but the texture can be more firm than fresh sushi due to the salt aging.
Takai also makes all his sauces in house! He’s friendly and willing to explain his aging method, his knives, where the fish are from, etc.

I’ve been twice - once at the counter and once at the table. I would only go back with a counter reservation.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Been here 4 times since they’ve opened this past year, this is what quality sushi is all about. I don’t know how but it keeps getting better and better. When I come in I love to sit at the whiskey counter, a bit more low key and conversation with Danny at the bar is always great. PS order the hibiki 21 it’s worth it ;)

Visited 2 years ago

I found Harmony at Takai. Best sushi in Bellevue.

Visited 2 years ago

Takai is the best fine dining spot in Bellevue. The ambiance when you walk in transports you away from the busy streets into a well designed and beautiful space. I was lucky enough to dine at a table with a few friends of mine and had a great time. The service was amazing and the food was delicious. I cannot wait to come back.
PS Try the tea pairing!

Visited 2 years ago

Way way overpriced. Good service and interesting variety is sushy but nothing nor in the menu nor in the place justifies to pay 500 for 2 people for the dinner we had.

Visited 2 years ago

Hmm I don’t know how to describe this place, the best word might be “pretentious”? They appear to be one of the “hall of fame” sushi ya in Seattle, but it’s not even Hawaii standard to my opinion. The sashimis are too thinly sliced and the nigiris are the wrong texture with undercooked rice. The service is good, that and the geoduck shiitake were the only things worth highlighting. We were just glad we didn’t go through the whole omakase thing.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Hands down, best authentic sushi on the Eastside.

Visited 2 years ago

Been there 2 times and the food was awesome plus service was on top of everything. Chef Jun was very detail. We will definitely come back !

Visited 2 years ago

Takai’s omakase was such a treat! The creativity and detail for each course had me excited for each of the 18 nigiris. My favorite one was the mackerel, typically not everyone’s first choice—it was melt-in-your-mouth buttery taste. With great quality fish it’s not a surprise that each nigiri was exceptional.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

If you're looking for an omakase experience that will leave you feeling as pleased as a wet sock, then Takai is the perfect restaurant for you!

I have to say, I was really excited to try Takai counter experience based on all the online and friend reviews claiming it to be one of the best omakase restaurants in Seattle. And I have to admit, the location is pretty great and comes with free two hours of garage parking, which is a rarity for other omakase restaurants in town.

The service was warm and attentive, and Chef Jun was great, offering just the right amount of interaction with each guest. However, I have to say the meal and beverage were a massive disappointment.

They had fresh fish, but their choice of seafood was quite safe and boring but their oroto and chutoro were good. I was expecting some interesting and unique fish, but sadly, that was not the case.

But wait, the real kicker was the sake. My group and I always pair omakase with Japanese sake, and we were expecting a great selection at Takai. Unfortunately, the sake experience at Takai was agonizing. The bottled sakes start at $170/bottle, which is about the same price for a person's omakase, and if you don't want that, the only choice left is to order a single glass. We ordered a chilled sake, but to our horror, our sake was served at room temperature! Our waitress poured quite a lot in our glasses in the first round, so we had to painfully drink our warm sake and that truly ruined our experience. We had to ask a different waitress to take our less than half bottle of sake back to chill to the proper temperature. Honestly, this is a very bad mistake for a restaurant that claims to be high-end and authentic, and it's just unacceptable when you're paying ~$200 for a bottle. Also, their sake really didn't live up to that high price.

Overall we paid over $1000 for 3 people So, in conclusion, while Takai may have a nice ambiance and service, it's certainly not worth coming here with high expectations. I'm giving this restaurant two stars, and that's only because of the service and ambiance. But when it comes to the meal and beverage, you're better off going somewhere else.

Bon appétit, or in this case, bon disappointment!

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Going to Takai was my introduction to authentic Japanese cuisine and I was really impressed with not only the dishes we tried but also the drinks, setting, and service. This is a beautiful restaurant and totally worth the visit!

Visited 2 years ago

The ambient and service is good. But the food is over priced. We ordered the 10 piece nigiri set, but feel the nigiri is smaller than the usual size, like mini sized nigiri. Besides, the food selection is still about tuna and salmon. Overall, the food does not give us any impression. For this price, I would recommend kashiba or LTD sushi.

Visited 2 years ago

"Takai" indeed. Parking convenience is a big plus. Fish was fresh, but presentation is a little bit dull compared to other sushi places in Seattle area. Rice portion is small, which works perfectly for me. No desert menu in the end.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Overall pretty good.
iwashi, kinmedai, akamutsu, and the hand roll are pretty good

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

If you'e looking for QUALITY Omakase and QUALITY sushi grade meat then this is your place. The staff and chefs are so professional and polite, they go above and beyond for you and your party to truly ENJOY the experience and savior each and every piece of sushi presented to you. Better then any sushi in Seattle and 100 percent recommend if you're down for some omakase style sushi! Side note Definitely not on the cheaper side for those looking to save some money!

Visited 2 years ago

Omakase, table. Pretty good, but is not as good as Kashiba. Service is excellent, but some of the nigiri was quite forgettable. Uni was very average. The chawanmushi had good texture and flavor but the piece of unagi in it was somewhat rubbery. The aged chuutoro however was excellent. The tea pairing matched with the meal very well.

The black cod was reminiscent of Kashiba’s famous cod, but didn’t match up to the original.

There’s some work to be done in terms of flavor and creativity but service was excellent.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

With out a doubt had the best sushi experience here. Service was 10/10, the sushi was 10/10 and the beverage pairing was immaculate I couldn’t recommend eating here enough!

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

I recently dined at Takai by Kashiba, expecting an exceptional experience given its reputation as a high-end Japanese restaurant. Unfortunately, my experience was far from satisfactory. Not only did I find a fish bone in my dish, but the staff did nothing to address the issue. What they can do is just to offer same meal which has the fish bone.

As someone who is deeply concerned about food safety, I found this to be unacceptable. The fact that the restaurant failed to take responsibility for their mistake and provide a remedy left me feeling extremely disappointed.

Overall the dishes and service is good but final dish ruined everything. I cannot in good conscience recommend this restaurant to anyone, especially considering the high prices they charge for their meals. If you value your safety and want to have an enjoyable dining experience, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Visited 2 years ago

Beautiful restaurant, service, and most of all food. The omakase is so thoughtful and delicious. The wine/sake and tea pairings were so decadent. Service was top notch and made us feel so special. A truly wonderful omakase experience which I hope to have an occasion to enjoy again!

Visited 2 years ago

Hands down the best sushi on the west coast, including Hawaii! Not cheap, but neither is life….get the wine/sake pairing…!

Visited 2 years ago

Such a fantastic omakase experience here!! We had 23 courses (4 appetizers, 18 pieces of nigiri sushi, and 1 miso soup). Each piece of nigiri sushi was extremely tasty and a little special (dry aged, smoked, topped ie. with yuzu, or torched) and they have such a large variety of fish. I appreciate how accommodating they were with my allergy to shellfish and the substitutions that I received were not just repeats of other fishes but were of different variety, which meant my meal was not at all compromised. The nigiri was well balanced in terms of vinegar and sweetness of the rice with the fish. I find that the proportions are generous - especially the amount of tuna and uni you get. Chef Jun was so friendly and was very happy to explain each course in detail. Interaction with the sushi chef is an important aspect of omakase for me (and something I find hard to do in Japan due to the language barrier) so I appreciated how welcoming Chef Jun was. My friends and I had such an amazing time! We’ll be back for sure.

Visited 2 years ago

We were here for special occasion. Service is excellent, I couldn’t expect more. However I was not as impressed as Sushi Kashiba. Not really talking about the ingredients quality, but we feel a little bit too citrus with sushi vinegar sour taste although I love yuzi a lot. Sweet shrimp is aged for 2days and Sadine is wonderful. Generally speaking, a nice fine dinning place.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Had a great date night here. The service was impeccable and the fish was amazing quality. It was also very nice that they had parking validation as well as a heated coat closet ( so cool!).

Overall, although this is really great for a special occasions, I personally feel that there are other omakase in the Seattle area that are much cheaper or have a unique twist to them.

Can't wait for the next excuse to come back here though! And definitely make a reservation

Visited 2 years ago

Had a great experience doing omakase at the chef’s counter! Come hungry, you get FULL full! Flavors were well-balanced. No overwhelming wasabi or bland-tasting dishes like some of the previous reviews mentioned; there were definitely light dishes that served as precursors to or breaks from the heavier ones, but they were far from bland. Also a super-wide selection of fish—a large amount from Hokkaido and other parts of Japan, and others from Alaska, Hawaii, local, etc. with a variety of preparation (fresh, aged, smoked, quick marinated, etc.). Whether it’s with a classic or an unconventional fish, each piece of nigiri and its flavor pairings was super inventive; you could tell Chef Takai had put lots of thoughts into crafting the perfect bite—definitely not something you could get at any sushi restaurant out there where the nigiri is mostly just fish and rice. Wish I had the money to return more often, but since I don’t, am glad to write this review so more people get to experience Chef Takai’s omakase!

Visited 2 years ago

Excellent food and experience. Try the uni of in season.

Visited 2 years ago

My first omakase in Seattle - staff is super polite, food was great. The miso cod fish was the best one I ever ate, I have no doubt.

Visited 2 years ago

Fantastic omakase experience. Definitely on the pricey end, but worth it.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

An exceptional experience. Dined as part of a table for four. Creative and different from Kashiba, yet still top notch. Wine pairing was good....not great, but still worth experiencing.

Visited 2 years ago

Truly excellent omakase experience. Impressed by this restaurant, moreso than Shiro's or Kashiba. Wonderful fish. Of all our plates, the only piece we didn't love was the geoduck (it was paired with a LOT of wasabi). Ootoro wasn't the fattiest, and I think it wasn't from Japan either (Mexico?) The tempura was surprisingly amazing, didn't expect that from a sushi restaurant. Our favorite non-sushi plate is the chawanmushi with cod and shrimp. Soooo good!

I reserved a table instead of the bar so that I could visit sooner. I think it was still a great experience. I could tell the chefs at the bar were happily conversing with guests, so that's definitely an experience I'd recommend if you have the time to snag that reservation.

There is parking at the ONE88 building that is adjacent to the building that Takai is in. They provide a 2 hour free parking if you enter code "sushi". Also note that there is a dress code. Everyone was pretty business casual to full on very fancy (saw some full business suits here), so be sure to dress nicely because it is enforced. For 2 people it was just shy of $400 with tip, which is pretty reasonable.

Visited 2 years ago

Service gets a 5 star. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. They explained every dish and drink to us. One drawback is they are always going over things and handing you another course so we found it difficult to sneak a bathroom break in because we would miss something.
Food gets a 3 Star. While unique about more than half the dishes were below average in taste. About 1/4 of the dishes blew my mind with flavor. About 1/4 of the dishes I wish I didn’t eat. The salmon and tuna were top notch. They also went a little strong with the wasabi. Almost every piece had some and I found myself taking it off because it was over powering.
Pricing was a 1 star. The price is high obviously because it’s an experience but it wasn’t worth the money. I could go to another sushi place, fill up on amazing king salmon and tuna for $100 and my wallet wouldn’t hurt so much.

Overall the experience was nice. Food was overall great but not amazing. Drinks were ok. I’m glad I went and experienced it but I don’t think it’s for me.

One piece of advice. If you have a sensitive stomach I would be cautious. My stomach cramped for the rest of the night from all the unique flavors. Not the kitchens fault but I’d be aware your going to have many new things to try

Visited 2 years ago

They have a few special marinade/aged sushi that I never had elsewhere. I can see the innovation and creativity chief put it into. To be honest the season is on the stronger side. It’s not overpowering the fish but it’s getting very close. I personally prefer less seasoning. If you think it’s too strong you sure that that chef know. He will adjust it.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Best sushi in Bellevue, It is quite pricy, but worth it.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

I have to say our (two of us) expectations were high but we left somewhat disappointed. First of all, service is great, so is the ambience. Problems were with the menu. The fish was very good but the selection quite poor. Mostly tuna (though admittedly different cuts) and salmon. Chawanmushi was somewhat watery, though tasty. Overall the selection at Taneda, Scratch, Sai sushi was far more interesting. Even places like Wataru and Waz' have a far more interesting selection in theiro makase. Pity a chef like Mori San's talents (formerly of Nishino) seem to be wasted here. I hate writing bad reviews but I recently came back from Japan and I am not comparing Takai with sushi restaurants in Kyoto but with comparatively priced local ones. Don't think we will go back

Visited 2 years ago

Very very good high end sushi restaurant. It’s a blend of sushi omakase and Kaiseki style. Lacks a bit of “finish”/“identity”.

Visited 2 years ago

Great Omakase. Well worth it.

Visited 2 years ago

Very nice place for Nigiri Sushi

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Had a great night.
Thank you, Chef Jun san

Visited 2 years ago

Chef Jun, the culinary team at Takai and the service team were all FANTASTIC!!!! Thank you for making my dining experience special at the chef's table! Especially as a first timer to omakase it was definitely a memorable experience! I'm mesmerized by the quick handcraft, different types of fish imported and different methods of preparing. Can't wait for another occasion to check out a different menu rotation! Thank you Takai for an awesome experience!

Visited 2 years ago

It was good omakase but several cooked foods.

The service was great and they were able to time the dishes to match our eating pace.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

It was nice! High end sushi spot with a great ambiance and pace.

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

As a young teen born and raised in Seattle, Shiro Kashiba was always my sushi hero. But, if I had been born just a couple of years later, I truly think I would've grown up hearing Jun Takai's name as well. He is a true master in his own right. Very subtle flavoring to enjoy the quality of the fish, with enough style to differentiate himself from the rest.

I had a sushi bar reservation for 5:00 pm, and as soon as you open the door, all of the front-of-house staff greet the guests with a hearty "irasshaimase" before being asked if you would like to hang your coat to then get seated. We had three "appetizers" before starting our meal. A sakizuke(bite-sized appetizer) of shira ae. Subsequently, we had some local green sea urchins. The next item was a smoked katsuo tataki topped with onion ponzu. Afterward, we had a matsutake dobin mushi to warm us up before the nigiri round started. Jun-san then served nine pieces of nigiri ranging from madai(sea bream) to buri(young yellowtail). After he did the aburi nodoguro(blackthroat seaperch), the staff brought us some grilled king mackerel. This was a good halfway point before he served the rest of the nigiri. The next round of nigiri was stronger, more pronounced fish, ranging from kinmedai, to zuke akami, to otoro, then to kohada, and so on. The meal finished with the classic anago, tamago, and akamiso (red miso).

The pacing of the meal was perfect. Jun-san ensured all the fish was at the ideal temperature, and the kitchen staff regularly replenished the rice to retain the temperature and freshness. Jun-san's favorite of the day was the iwashi(sardine).

The attention to detail, the nuances of the different fish, and the inviting atmosphere all come together to create a very polished, exciting, and delicious meal.

Thank you, Jun-san, for an incredible meal and for pushing the bounds of Pacific Northwest sushi!

Visited 2 years ago

Most epic sushi experience. Most bites melt in your mouth. Must try at least a few times, will be back.

Visited 2 years ago

The omakase experience is definitely a must! Jun Takai happily shares stories apart from describing each piece to us and what to expect. It's a lot of food too — consisting of 24 pieces fresh sushi, soups (we had 2) and some nice crunchy tempura from the kitchen and a sweet almost pancake-like tamago at the end.

I know my favorites (o-toro, chu-toro, the fatty ones!) but the omakase experience has introduced me to new ones I should order next time such as sardines, king salmon, and fresh shrimp.

This restaurant by the way has a dress code which I wasn't aware about until I was at the door. I was worried I came in too casual in sweater and sneakers but they let me in. But be aware of that before showing up.

Overall, this has been a great experience. The entire place is not too big. The chef counter only seats 6 people and then there are a few tables and a bar. It was packed as we were heading out the door, happy and satisfied.

I would definitely come back and fingers crossed would be as lucky to get a seat at the chef's counter again.

Visited 2 years ago

I had a great omakase dinner at Takai! The food, service and atmosphere were outstanding.

My favorite dish of the meal would probably be the black cod (with a friend shrimp head).

Be prepared to spend almost 2 hours here for omakase and come hungry!

Visited 2 years ago

Good, not great. Kashiba was better.

Fish was fresh, but few standouts. The nori/seaweed was not good - soggy, thick, not crisp (can't compare to Kazunori's).

Service was generally good and friendly, but timing of food could use improvement - too slow or fast.

It was also an anniversary dinner, which we noted, but it was disappointing they didn't do anything.

Visited 2 years ago

The service is good ( a lot of them are new and learning). Kashiba himself is greeting each table himself. However, the food is not impressive. I only remember one or two pieces are very good - one is salmon. All other omakase is just so so, not comparable to kashiba.

Visited 2 years ago

Every dish was flawless

Visited 2 years ago

Visited 2 years ago

Delicious sushi, easily one of the best I've ever had. It's a bit pricy but it's worth it. Each part of omakase is excellently executed. I would consider extending the tea pairings with puer. The alcohol pairing was good. The service was attentive but not disruptive.

Visited 2 years ago

Disappointed!

Visited 2 years ago

제대로 된 일본식 오마카세를 처음 먹어봤습니다 비린내에 비위가 약한 편이지만 약 2시간동안 아주 입이 호강했습니다 강추합니다

Visited 2 years ago

I strongly recommend the omakase combined with the wine & sake pairing. It is a wonderful combination of the highest quality sushi/sashimi with small plates that combine traditional flavors with unique ideas. The paired spirits enhanced each course while also adding their own notes to the symphony of tastes. On top of all that, it was a ton of food with at least 8 courses served!!

The restaurant is still very new, so if you love good food you might want to check it out before word gets out and it becomes impossible to find a table.

Visited 2 years ago

Authentic Edomae style sushi, with professional aging and delicate preparation of the fish to bring sushi to the next level. I feel pictures does not do it justice as the taste and texture of each sushi piece is so well executed to demonstrate the best of each kind. 20+ dishes with appetizers and cooked dishes served in between sushi courses, very elegantly arranged pace. Upscale modern decor, great services, tastefully selected wines and sake, all in all an impeccable omakase experience.

Visited 2 years ago

Crazy delicious sushi and great atmosphere. Definitely one of the best in Seattle. Plus amazing service! Highly recommend.

Visited 2 years ago

Amazing experience! Beautiful decor, fantastic food, and perfectly balanced drinks. So excited to come here again!

Visited 2 years ago