SAI Sushi & Sake — Restaurant in Seattle

The only private omakase dining experience in Seattle! I was a bit nervous since I’m socially awkward, so anything 1 on 1 sounds daunting. Chef Saito is very warm and kind, and the food never stopped coming which made the experience less awkward than I had anticipated (can’t think too much when you’re stuffing your face). He’s a one-man show which really pulled at my heart strings; he’s clearly a hard worker and puts a lot of thought into his craft. What I loved that I haven’t seen other sushi places do is he writes out a very thorough menu for you to read alongside your meal. Not only does it list each course in order, but he also includes some cool facts or background of the course. Another thing I loved was that he has a sign in front of you that he flips after each course to tell you what’s up next. It just all felt very accessible and thoughtful to customers.

In terms of the meal, you can tell Chef Saito means business! The moment we sat down, he had our first dish ready. Throughout the meal, we kept noticing fish or small dishes that we had never tried before or hadn’t known much about. If you read other reviews, other people noticed the same thing; Chef Saito picks unique things that you don’t see in other omakase restaurants. It was refreshing to see the different cuts, different regions the fish came from, and different preparation techniques he used for each dish. They were all delicious! I highly recommend pairing your meal with a houjicha tea he picked out from Japan and hands down the best houjicha I’ve ever had. Dessert was also very delicious - a homemade soft pudding with fruit and mochi ice cream.

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience with a different range of omakase items, this is definitely worth the try! People know about the big hitters in Seattle like Taneda, LTD, Sushi Kashiba, etc, and I feel Sai is kind of this low-key hidden gem (opened in 2020 aka the worst time!) that most of Seattle still doesn’t really know about. I really hope Chef Saito gets more recognition, since he deserves it. He won’t be your chatty, super engaging chef, but he is so kind and will make sure your dining experience is meeting/exceeding your standards. I’d love to spread the word on him. We know we’ll...

I very highly recommend Sai for very special occasions of your very special someone. If you go there, you should expect it would take at least 2 hours to finish your meal. If you want something quick, this is not your place (I think there's a KFC just a few block away). Yes, if you are reading this and wondering why my review starts like this, I read some neutral/negative reviews on Yelp and had to say something. I also do not disagree that servers play important roles in guest satisfaction. I actually agree 300% if not more. But I personally appreciate direct communications with chefs more than anything else as they know the food they serve more than anyone else. Mr. Saito is a very truthful and honest person, so just ask away if you have any questions. He also trusts his only employee which I really liked. He was always so attentive and I never needed to ask water refills, etc., at all. I don't get why someone demands hiring servers when he is doing this great. I'd rather ask him not to (hire servers). haha As a solo diner myself (most usually), I do understand someone's disappointment about Sai's not taking solo diners. But they have only 4 seats and most people who go there do so to celebrate something with someone (takes 2 of the 4 seats), so if they take a solo diner, they are likely to waste 25% of the seats they have. I do support their decision, and also hope that whoever posted that review gets a chance to experience Sai's private dining experience one day!

So, I was there to celebrate the birthday of a very good friend of mine. Sai was in a very short list of places she wanted to try. I was so fortunate that I checked Tock right after someone cancelled their reservation for the very right day (my friend's bday), apparently.

I wouldn't comment on the food we were offered. They were all good! I generally agree to what Michael S said on Yelp.

I really hope to be back here again some day (I'm in SF Bay Area, so it's not very easy)!

Oh, Yelp demands me talk about the ambiance... Ok, it was awesome! (Well, I'm copying my own review on...

We love a good omakase and knew we needed to check out the scene in Seattle while on vacation. This is a good-value restaurant and worth it for the quantity and quality of fresh fish for $205 pp for 18 items, especially if you want to experience PRIVATE DINING because thats the only thing they do, even if it’s only a party of two. We got to know the chef a little and turns out it’s only run by him, and an occasional dishwasher. Really down to earth and we enjoyed chatting with him! I recommend coming here if you want a no-frills kind of dinner and just want to appreciate really good sushi.

Food: The fresh fish is very good quality! The uni was so so fresh! However, I do think the cooked portions of the omakase lacked a bit…. The flavours and textures are there; however some of the items (eg. fried scallop) were just slightly overcooked. It’s not a big enough reason to deter me from this place because the value for the food is worth it, but something to note of the calibre of the restaurant.

Drinks: There was a good amount of options for drinks! We opted for the sake pairing and felt that it was good value for 4 pours at $60.

Service/Atmosphere: The chef is very thoughtful about making sure that everything needed by a customer is present. For example, there are phone chargers, a little mat to place your keys and phone, and a clothing rack. Up until the nigiri part, I did feel a bit rushed with the pace of the courses. But I think it’s because since it’s only the chef himself working, he is running around a bit. It’s good if you don’t particularly enjoy chatting with chefs because all the information is always posted on his menus.

WOULD I COME HERE AGAIN? Yes!!! It’s worth it for $205 pp and great if you just want to include some...