Japonessa Sushi Cocina — Restaurant in Bellevue

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...

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...

I am not a fan of sushi but this place is so different. I should admit that I went to this place to just review for all of you that give my reviews lots of love and support. I was observing everything here first of all the owner Olivia she is beautiful inside and out she is smart and super professional she cares about her customer I saw her serving her customers even though they had enough servants she was not kind of bossy person that doesn’t do anything she was so supportive of her crew and super nice and friendly with her guests you feel she is a real host I was lucky to meet Ben their general manager he came to my table and after he introduced himself he apologized for the technical issue they had earlier with their payment system that of course it was fixed but he was so polite and super professional to come to me and explained again I mean WOW SUCH A GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE ⭐️Thank you Ben Come to the good part 🍣🍣🍣🍣 Chef Albert is now in Bellevue location so for those of you who are looking for a professional sushi chef here you go I sat behind the sushi bar and had a chance to talk to him He was so busy but he was so kind and super friendly he was talking to his guests and made the environment cozy and happy Chef Albert thank you so much for your awesome personality I asked him if he is ok to post his picture for you so you also know the chef and he kindly accepted They have a generous happy hour for sushi lovers They also offer good drinks Inside vibe is great for family and friends gathering I was looking at other people and made some friends with whoever sat next to me . Yes I was there for long time to collect the best review and I asked other customers about how they like their food and all of them were happy with their choice There is a reason this place has over 1500k reviews You know I am a local guide and I am posting reviews for 6 years and you know I care about details so when I say their customer service is a wow I mean it Friendly staff “even when they are busy” Restrooms were clean They sanitizes everything after each customer even the soy bottle!!! The price is on higher end but you are paying for best quality and chef Albert’s art that makes you a plate like an amazing mural!!! You can see the kitchen from the sushi bar and you gonna see how clean everything is One of best experience I tried bad boy roll 24$ And other drinks I listed the menus I didn’t like my drink was tasteless for me next time I will try Mango cocktail I tried lots of Michelin stars restaurants and I know what being professional means and I see the potential for this place Thank you Olivia...