Sushi Ya — Restaurant in Lakewood

The first thing I did was to call and see if they have O-Toro or Hamachi lower belly meats and the lady said yes we do.

The moment I pulled up the chef was already preparing for those two sashimi! Let me tell you guys. I used to go Sushi Kashiba and Shiro before they sold and we all know Shiro Kashiba is the best in US but it's bit a far drive to go seattle every time u want sashimi...so therefore I would go Kyoto for a long time until they sold and the new chef they have is so bad I would rather go Trappers sushi or safeway sushi.... so after looking for all sorts of places to see if the old sushi chef from Kyoto... I didn't have any luck. Anyways, I then focused on reviewing every single photos on reviews and if u are sushi lover like me u can tell which sushi rice was made good and bad.... I also looked at the way it was cut and how it was cut by looking at the finished product. Thus I choose this place to try it out. And what do u know. This owner/chef used to work with the old owner/chef of Kyoto restaurant!! I was so happy and the food that I tasted confirms it. I was so excited and grateful to encounter this restaurant...

I was eager to try Sushi Ya after hearing good things, so after work, I decided to give them a call while driving from Bellevue to Lakewood. Unfortunately, my first attempt was met with silence. About 20 minutes later, I called again, and this time someone answered—only to leave the phone off the hook. For about 10 minutes, I was subjected to a loud backdrop of conversations and kitchen noise, which was frustrating.

When I finally arrived at the restaurant, I found out there was a 45-minute wait for a to-go order. I asked the staff why I was left listening to the chaos on the phone, but nobody offered a satisfactory explanation. The manager even stated that they didn’t care about my experience since they never answer the phone.. As I was leaving, I mentioned I would be leaving a review, and to my surprise, the manager chased me outside, which only added to the awkwardness of the situation.

Overall, my experience was disappointing, and I left feeling undervalued as a customer. I had high hopes for this place, but I won’t be returning...

Tiny little place with great food that's super fresh and delicious. They serve lots of complimentary, very tasty little side dishes served with artistic flair by Kim and Jimmy with friendly smiles. You won't be disappointed!

Edit: I've been looking Forward to returning and today I did. I tried their chicken katsu ramen and the lovely Kim did inquire if I liked it and I provided honest feedback. The egg wasn't marinated in soy like I love so much and how is pictured on their banner outside the building. The broth was very low salt (=low flavor) and vegetables sparse. Sadly, I may be ordering ramen from elsewhere. Kim (and another reviewer) did, however, recommend the bulgogi ramen which I may try some time. Follow me to find out later!

The service was excellent and I was personally served by each of the 3, Keith, Jimmy and Kim during my lunch visit. The place is so clean and the food...