Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya Capitol Hill — Restaurant in Seattle

Bottom line first: Amazing ramen served in a traditional Japanese ramen bar setting and situated in the heart of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Seems like most of the less than five star reviews about this place dwell on the fact that it gets busy. So to focus on the food, it's amazing. I can't comment on the peak hour aspects of the restaurant because I went late on a weekday. To me, the fact that it gets busy is a good sign, even though it's frustrating. People line up to eat at the best ramen shops in Japan.

Let's speak more about the food. The place has the authentic feel of a ramen shop. The open kitchen showcases large pots of stock, noodles cooking, and chefs furiously constructing bowls of ramen. The food is quick and easy (when not busy - see above). The menu is laid out with pictures to help you order, and gives a brief overview of what and how to order.

The chicken wings were crunchy and delectably glazed with a garlic citrus sauce. Very good, but wish they had some aspect of spice to meet the sweet glaze. I wanted to try every bowl they had to offer, but went with the traditional Garlic Tonkotsu for my first go 'round. It wasn't the most aesthetically pleasing bowl of ramen, but holy UMAMI. The soy, garlic, pork, and miso all play together to form a silky-rich goodness. I added fish cake to add more tradition. Found myself wanting a bit more, but overall was very happy! My friend tried the Tsukemen with tonkotsu broth and cold noodles, which will be my choice for the next visit. Can't speak to the flavors of the dish, but it looks exactly like what I would want it to be.

Definitely a five star ramen shop based on food alone. Can't speak to service quality when it gets busy.

Addendum: second time around was at the end of a busy lunch rush. The rush was ending, so the service was good, but I think the food suffered instead. Tonkotsu broth served with the Tsukemen was lukewarm when it was served. So the cold noodles and room temperature fillers did not fare well in a broth that was too cold to begin with. Other than that, the flavor was there. I think this is shaping up to be more of a four star joint. Still think the ramen is great though.

Addendum 2: Had the Yuzu Ramen which was incredible! So light and fresh with a bold blend of flavors. Definitely good for a lunch meal. Also had the takoyaki dumplings and chicken karaaje. The chicken was as good as fried chicken can be. The takoyaki dumplings were bomb. I know these are a staple izakaya, but I've never had them before. The katsuobushi on top made the dish. The smoky salty flavor of the katsuobushi blended very well with the buttery...

🌟 First Stop, First Impressions: My Seattle restaurant tour kicked off with a bang! This joint? A superb choice. 🎉 I’m all about restaurants that channel their inner MacGyver—solution-oriented, customer-centered, and quicker than a caffeinated squirrel. 🐿️

🏠 Ambiance: The decor danced that fine line between modern chic and cozy nostalgia. It was like stepping into a Pinterest board where the pins actually come to life. 📌✨

👥 Party of 6, Party of Ease: We waltzed in unannounced, six of us like a hungry flash mob. But fear not—the staff handled it with the grace of synchronized swimmers. Table? Accommodated. Crisis? Averted. 🌊

👩‍🍳 Waitstaff Wizards: These folks were like culinary ninjas—swift, precise, and friendlier than a golden retriever at a belly rub convention. 🐶

🍹 Drink Drama: Now, the drinks! I sipped the Sake (because I’m classy like that) and the “Tropic Like It’s Hot” (cue giggles). Lychee mango magic in a glass—so good it made my taste buds do the cha-cha. 💃

🦑 Octo-Delight: The Takoyaki Octopus Dumplings? Hold onto your taste buds, because they were octo-mazing! Tender, flavorful, and more addictive than a Netflix cliffhanger. 🐙

🥟 Gyoza Glimmer: The veggie gyoza? Good, not mind-blowing. Like a solid B-movie sequel—entertaining, but not Oscar-worthy. 🎞️

🚽 Bathroom Bonus: Brace yourself—I discovered a mouthwash station in the restroom. Yes, you read that right. It’s like the restaurant whispered, “Your breath matters, darling.” 🌬️

🧼 Cleanliness Crusaders: The place sparkled like a freshly polished diamond. No rogue crumbs, no sticky menus—just pristine vibes. 🌟

📈 Final Verdict: Despite the drink delay hiccup, I’m handing out gold stars. 5 out of 5! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 (With a side of winks and revisions,...

To start off, my husband's food never arrived. To make matters worse, the waitress never came by check on the table after we ordered or to see if we needed anything else (like my husband's missing food). I had to call her over to request the check because we wanted to leave. As for my dish, I had ordered the beef rice bowl and it looked pretty on arrival, However, its looks deceived because it was the thinist layer of beef over rice that I've ever seen. The beef pieces were the thinist slivers of beef possible, and almost 100% of it had stringy, rubbery fat attached. It was not good to eat. The plentiful chopped scallions garnishing the top was a great concealer. It was a pile of bland, fatty, glutinous stuff. Yuk. Even though it was on a Friday when we went, during happy hour time, the waitress at first refused to honor the happy hour drink prices that were specifically advertised in their happy hour menu that had been given to us. She said that the happy hour menu given to us had mistakes. She nonetheless relented and applied the happy hour prices as listed on the menu, but that resistance was baffling and not necessary. We also noticed that while tofu add-on price for the vegetarian ramen was $2, the bill charged $2.50. Not a huge difference, but why a difference at all? Absolutely not right. To many issues: the prices, the bad service, and the bad food quality. I have no yearn to return to this...