FOB Sushi Bar — Restaurant in Seattle

This is an ingenious idea! And as you can see by the line in one of my pics, it's working. Sushi by the pound. You fall in line, which is actually moving at a good pace. This is good when you're waiting in line, but not so good when you're at the bar and deciding what to choose. A great marketing concept because as anyone who's "shopped under pressure" you end up putting common sense to the side in hopes that you won't miss out. And that's how I ended up with a box full of sushi. The box I chose was the biggest box they offered which supposedly fits 40 pieces. They also offer small trays and smaller boxes. My game plan was to get two of each type of sushi. Long story short, my game plan didn't allow for me to get at least one of each being offered as once I started moving down the line I was running out of room and having to make a second layer were they were still seperate to know where one piece started and the other one ended. But enough about my sushi tetris woahs. I'm sure you want to know more about how it all tasted. When I discovered this place I was told it was "better than store bought sushi and just as good, if not better than Costco sushi." Honestly this review did not really have me wanting to make the extremely stressful trip to Seattle. Especially on a weekend of sunshine with everyone and their mother enjoying the beautiful PNW Autumn weather. But again, I was intrigued by the concept. Ahhhhh yes, back to the taste. It was not dine in sushi restaurant quality, but I can say that it was way better than store bought or Costco sushi and can even say it was better than what most all-you-can eat Asian buffets serve. Even between three of us, we could not finish it all in one evening (and yes, I took it home to gorge on all it's glory in private) but it was just as good the following day for lunch. As for the service, they were very good in replenishing what was running low there was never a wait for them to refill a serving plate. The cashier was very attentive and even though I declined a bag, after she taped my box shut, she encouraged me to get one. And boy am I glad I did. My box ended being over 6 lbs and I hadn't even gotten my condements yet. Oh and speaking of, they have everything you'll need from individually packaged wasabi to individually packaged sliced pickled ginger. Of course they have both low sodium and regular soy sauce as well as eel and spicy mayo sauces. Over all it was definitely an experience everyone should have. But plan to take it home or anywhere else but there as they only have seating inside for maybe 15 people and a couple seats outside weather permitting. Parking is what you'd expect when visiting anywhere in Seattle. Hard to find and not cheap. Luckily we found good parking right up front. Next time I'll check out their Bellevue site and...

If you want some cheap sushi that actually tastes pretty good, then this is the restaurant to try.

I’ve never been to a sushi place like this. If I were to describe it briefly, I would compare the experience to a buffet line for sushi. Here’s how it works.

You pick your tray size. There are two plastic tray sizes - up to 15 pieces and up to 20 pieces. If you want more, they offer larger boxes. Next you grab your pair of tongs that you’ll use to pick out your sushi.

I didn’t count, but I’d guess they have at least 30 options. They do place a description of what’s in each roll at the back of each plate. As you walk past each item, you can pick out as many pieces as you’d like and add it to your tray. Once you’re done, you’ll drop your tongs in a bucket, weigh your selections and pay.

So what did I like about this type of restaurant? First, I knew I wasn’t stuck with an entire roll of something I didn’t like. I could just take one or two pieces.

Second, the staff constantly rotated the sushi and brought new plates out. So you never had sections that were empty. And you didn’t have to reach to the back of a tray to get what you wanted.

Third, I thought they offer a great deal. They charge $15 per pound. That amounts to 10-11 pieces, and these are the largest pieces of sushi I’ve seen.

Fourth, overall I thought the food was actually very good, and much better than I expected for something like this.

And here’s what I didn’t like. The line was long, so when I got to the sushi, I felt rushed to get through the line. I didn’t really have time to look at the options. Even though they had a description, I didn’t feel like I had the chance to read the information. And since I just shoved everything into the tray, I lost track of what was what.

We were also disappointed by the small seating area. We had to take our food outside and walk around the building until we found a bench.

After we had finished our trays, we decided to go back for seconds, and this time we just got it to go. They put a lid on our trays and gave us a bag to carry it in.

I’d definitely recommend this restaurant, but if you don’t want to feel free rushed, this might not be a great option...

FOB has some of the best sushi in the Seattle area for its price. The unconventional serving and dining style makes it an intriguing outing or quick and easy lunch/dinner stop for those working in the city. Even when the line is out the door, it moves fairly fast.

I truly love having the ability to select as many pieces I would like of certain rolls, nigiri, or sashimi as someone who apprechiates variety, and purchasing full rolls of each dish is often inaccessible to.

The rolls are hefty and include well paired elements of fish and other seafood, cooked and uncooked, garnishes, and sauces. The nigiri and sashimi are always beautifully sliced. Multiple nigiri options feature sauce and seasoning elements, which provide some depth of flavor. The rice is tender and not an overwhelming portion, letting the other elements be the star. The chefs obviously know what they are doing when crafting rolls.

My partner and I both noted that we seem to feel more satisfied by fewer pieces here than anywhere else, which also significantly reduces the cost.

I have such an appreciation for the staff working there who seem to always be on top of the line and inventory status. Due to the fast-paced nature, options approach almost empty quite fast and yet are swiftly replaced at an astonishing speed.

FOB is doing...