Japonessa Sushi Cocina — Restaurant in Seattle

BLUF: Great quality fish, good value for the price of omakase(personal chef to customer omakase not an option, they bring it all out to your table at once), great service, would recommend.

I wish I could share more, but I didn't get that many items from the menu.

You will definitely see some interesting menu items as this is a Japanese/Spanish fusion restaurant which I had never heard of before. It's mainly a Japanese menu with Spanish influence containing both raw and hot foods.

This was my first omakase experience, but I wish I had it at a restaurant where the chef prepares each item for you one at a time for a much more personal experience. That being said, that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy my meal.

Atmosphere: We went during the evening while it was still light out. It might feel a bit cramped for some, but I had enough room to be comfortable. Mid-light ambience with large window seating. While you can see the bar where the chefs prepare sushi, we couldn't actually sit there. I'm not sure if it's usually open and we just came under special circumstances or if it's always cordoned off. This kind of took away from the potential that their omakase experience could have been.

Service: Our server was somewhat eccentric and very knowledgeable about the menu. Our dishes came fairly quickly and he took the initiative to describe everything he put in front of us. Very friendly and great energy.

For starters, we got the Miso Soup and Hamachi Usu. I wish the miso soup was better. It didn't have much flavor. The Hamachi Usu on the other hand (yellowtail sashimi with ponzu sauce, chili oil, topped with pico de gallo) had a great citric flavor and was very fresh.

There are dozens of unique Spanish-inspired sushi rolls on the menu, but they are pretty pricy ranging between $20-$26 each.

Of course you need to get the bluefin otoro if you're a sushi fanatic. My suggestion: If you like nigiri and are dining with a like-minded companion and want to get the 2 piece otoro nigiri rather than the five piece sashimi, ($20 vs $35), get the $80 omkase sushi(nigiri) only option. You get two pieces of bluefin otoro along with an assortment of 11 other types of sushi. This option comes with two pieces per type of nigiri so you and your companion can try one of each. Being a smaller guy, this also filled me and my friend up and we left very satisfied.

Omakase: $50 for 14 pieces $80 for 24 pieces $100 for I believe 29 pieces $150 for I believe 34 pieces

Each option comes with the choice of only sashimi or only sushi(nigiri).

My brother got the $50 option which came with 14 unique types of sushi.

My friend and I shared the $80 option which came with 12 unique pairs of sushi. From top left to bottom right in the picture, it was Hamachi, Sockeye Salmon, Sweet Shrimp, Unagi, Bluefin Toro, Yellowtail Belly, Red King Salmon, Hokkigai, Scallop, Bluefin Otoro, White King Salmon Belly, and Ika.

The fish was amazingly fresh and tender. They each had their own toppings/sauces already brushed on so if you absolutely need soy sauce, use it very minimally as to not spoil the natural flavor that comes directly from the kitchen. The nigiri is also a proper portion and great ratio of very fluffy sushi rice to high quality fish. It's not like the average $$ sushi restaurants that give you a speck of fish on top of a golf ball of rice. Each bite fits very comfortably in your mouth as you bite into the tender meat and airy rice.

I haven't been to too many highly acclaimed sushi restaurants, but I would place this second to Sugarfish at Santa Monica Beach in LA. I would visit this restaurant again to explore their other menu items...

1st: to Hell with Google's suggestions on how I should do a review.

I'm still looking for a substitute for Google maps.

Google execs have either bought up or driven out of business all competition through their unfair practices.

Maybe Apple will be better, as I'm ditching my Pixel Spyware device for an Apple phone with Proton VPN and Mail.

Now on to the review.

As to the ambience as Google wants to put it, I'm not a fan of industrial when I'm sitting down to eat. and that is the only way I could describe the atmosphere. This is a completely honest review.

I give the same when I do The Bull Moose Report. Unvarnished and honest.

It is a Tuesday night, 8 :30. not too busy on tax day. 2025.

Menu looks interesting. I immediately noticed a lot of Spanish influence In the names and descriptions. They do not claim otherwise. it is a fusion restaurant. Just be aware of that.

The front service was excellent, and the support staff and wait staff were everything you could ask for. Very professional and attentive.

The motif is black lacquer and concrete ,with an industrial feeling. The music and beat to would be right at home in an early 2000s rave. indistinct, loud but not too loud. It goes with the lack of sound dampening.

Don't expect to have a nice romantic conversation, a business meal where you need to talk over details or on evening out with your special someone to talk about future plans or intimate niceties. You'll find yourself speaking very loudly across the table.

The place is upbeat, and not too dark. I guess it would be a good place for a fun time, laughing and exuberance with a small group.

Enough about the atmosphere. Now about the food.

If I have one line for people to understand The cuisine if they should decide to come here, it would be: "Sushi meets taco sauce."

I would not recommend the "lime jalapeno" cilantro drizzle sauce, or whatever they want to call it, that they put on many of their roles. Green/Verde salsa by any other name.

I ordered the Mr Wonderful roll and at least for me, it was not.

I have also ordered the chirachi, and the $50 selection of sashimi, and a $50 selection of nagiri sushi.

They have a option of ordering a selection of sushi or nigiri, and it comes in $50, $80, $100 selections. As I was ordering both nigiri and sashimi, I ordered one of each of the $50 selections.

I will upload photos for all of it.

You have my opinion of the Mr. Wonderful role, I will let you know how the others do.

This is the portion of sashimi and nagiri i received. Very generous, and obviously fresh

Honestly, I think I confused the server In my ordering, and I'm not sure that the chirashi is coming, but given the generous portions on sushi and sashimi, That's probably a good idea.

overall, the sashimi and nigari are excellent.

One last thing. They only have low sodium soy sauce in a bottle. if you want the real thing, they have to give it to you and packets. I think that has more to do with the fact that I'm in Seattle.

overall, I would definitely come here again for the sashimi and nigiri. so next time I think I will bring earbuds...

I walked in for my reservation and was greeted by a very sweet hostess. As I was seated, the gentleman serving water was also very friendly and respectful, which gave me a good first impression. Unfortunately, my experience with my waiter was the opposite.

When he approached my table, he barely looked up from his device, gave a very dry "hello," and made no real effort to engage. I paused after my own greeting, waiting for some type of acknowledgment, but he just gave me a look as if to say, "What are you waiting for? Order." I let it slide and asked for a few minutes to order.

When I asked for advice on which gyoza to try (shrimp or seafood), his responses were dismissive and short: "Neither, they both have pork." When I asked which was more popular, he simply said, "They are both popular." It felt like pulling teeth to get even basic information, and the attitude made me uncomfortable.

At that point, I asked if another waiter could help me, because it was clear he didn't want to. Thankfully, the new server was much friendlier, more engaged, and made me feel more welcome. However, when I politely asked if she could take over as my server, her response was, "I don't think he meant it that way." That rubbed me the wrong way--she wasn't there to witness his tone or attitude, so dismissing my concern didn't feel appropriate. (Update she was the manager!! Crazy! She should've asked what happened to correct the issue so it wouldn't happen again. Of course that response explains why there's a handful of bad yelp reviews on the staff)

Overall, the food may be ok , but the service experience was really off-putting. First impressions matter, and it's disappointing when one rude server can sour an entire visit.

This waiter began telling everyone on staff what happened I was getting looks and he even went to check if the emergency exit next to me was locked? Very strange behavior very rude I thought this place looked professional. I left a $30 tip on a $50 order... Do better.

(Go to wasabi sushi it's very tasty and staff are...