Sushi Koushi — Restaurant in Woodinville

Sushi Koushi, a new addition to Woodinville's culinary scene, offers a mixed experience that shows promise but leaves room for improvement. As avid sushi enthusiasts, we were eager to try this newcomer during their soft opening.

Ambiance and Service The restaurant's intimate setting accommodates around 20 diners, creating a cozy atmosphere. However, the attentiveness of the staff bordered on excessive. Our waiter seemed to hover, and dishes were whisked away almost too quickly. While this may have been due to the quiet 4:00 PM time slot, it felt somewhat intrusive.

Menu Highlights Omakase: Beautifully presented with dry ice and elegant bowls, the $46 Sushi and Sashimi Omakase included 4 pieces of sushi, 6 small chunks of sashimi, and two small pieces of egg. I don't feel that tamago should be included. While visually stunning, the portion size left something to be desired for the price point.

Rolls: The Oita and Nagoya rolls were standouts. Both featured 9-10 pieces and were artfully plated. The deep-fried Oita roll with imitation crab and avocado offered a satisfying crunch, while the Nagoya roll's combination of tuna, avocado, ponzu, green onion, and fish roe created a delightful flavor profile.

Udon: The shrimp tempura udon impressed with its incredibly flavorful broth, rivaling the current favorite at Best Teriyaki and Sushi in Duvall.

Other Dishes The gyoza, priced at $5 for four pieces, had good flavor but noticeably small meat portions. The shrimp tempura ($10 for four pieces) was excellently crispy. The Hamachi nigiri, an additional order, showcased the restaurant's commitment to fresh fish.

Value and Portions Our total bill came to $136.10 before the tip, which felt steep considering some members of our party left still feeling hungry. In comparison, similar spending at Sushi Zone typically results in a more satisfying meal.

Conclusion Sushi Koushi shows potential with its fresh ingredients, beautiful presentations, and standout dishes like the udon and specialty rolls. However, the high prices and smaller portions may deter some diners. The restaurant's attention to detail is evident, but they might benefit from fine-tuning their service approach and reconsidering their portion sizes or pricing strategy. While we plan to give Sushi Koushi another chance in a few months, it hasn't yet secured a spot as a regular dining destination for...

Tldr: I will never go here again. The food here was (In my opinion) disgusting. The ambiance was some of the best I've seen, and the service was fine. I'd rather eat grocery store sushi, especially at the prices that were charged.

The atmosphere was great. They had some poppy music playing just loud enough to hear which I enjoyed greatly. In spite of a fairly full dining room I wasn't overwhelmed by noisy patrons and had no problem hearing my friend even when he was whispering... Idk if they have magic acoustics or just very considerate and quiet patrons, but the experience of being in this restaurant was very nice. They also brought out a small bottle with dry ice and water with my food which really gave a fun little visual zest to the experience.

The service was fine. There isn't a thing I can think to say of it beyond "it was fine".

The food was sadly where this place fell apart, and even my friend who has very different taste than me agreed the food was very weak. We ordered four rolls between us and some edamame. The edamame was fine, the rolls were actively unpleasant to eat. I swallowed without chewing as much as was possible. The spicy tuna roll was falling apart the moment it was dropped off in front of me... The tuna itself was very fishy and instead of being a single solid piece, or even a bunch of chopped up tuna it was almost a paste. I was very disappointed. It reminded me of the patties from Krabby O'mondays if anyone gets that reference. The other rolls were about equally unpleasant (in my opinion). I truly hope that this restaurant improves their food, or that I just went on the worst possible day, because Woodinville deserves a better kind of sushi than what I was provided with at...

KEEP THIS GEM HIDDEN: Sushi Koushi Delivers Fresh, High-Quality Sushi in a Cozy, Contemporary Setting

The lunch special is such a steal—generous portions and incredible quality. All the dishes I tried were plated beautifully and tasted as good as they looked!

The beef donburi had thin, tender, sukiyaki beef and onions stewed in soy sauce (I wish there had been a bit less rice, but honestly, it was still awesome).

The caterpillar roll was packed with big pieces of eel and creamy avocado! Ooo you also have to try the garlic salmon - the fish melts in your mouth and is topped with a savory garlic aioli. Absolute perfection. The mackerel sashimi had huge portions and was perfectly umami. Lastly, the takoyaki was fluffy, savory, and had big chunks of octopus in them—so satisfying!

The space is small but super clean and modern. I went during lunchtime on a Friday, and even though it was busy, I didn’t have any trouble finding a seat. The service was also outstanding! My waiter was so attentive, always topping up my tea without me even having to ask.

Sushi Koushi has officially become my go-to sushi spot. It’s such a hidden gem, and I can’t recommend it enough if you’re craving fresh, high-quality sushi in a friendly,...