- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Ginza
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
103 102nd Ave SE(between 1st St & Main St)
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 709-7072
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Tue-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
239 reviews for Ginza
Review Highlights
-
"I cannot believe how good the pumpkin fried rice is." In 59 reviews -
"The tea smoked pork belly appetizer." In 7 reviews -
"It also came with two miso soup and light salad." In 14 reviews
Loading...
239 reviews in English
-
Review from M A.
WOODLAND HLS, CA
5/22/2012
Our favorite sushi place in Bellevue hands down! After discovering it we would go 2-3 times a week. Make sure to go early right around opening to have the best seat at the bar and best selection for the day. Chat up the sushi chef Fuji. He is AWESOME! We love him! He's really what makes this place great (along with the delicious food). He'll hook you up with the best cuts and steer you clear of anything that's not as good that day.
Ask him to tell you about the sake and the rice polishing process that goes into them.
Great selection of fresh fish (daily specials)
Creative and extensive menu
Friendly service - though the best is Fuji
Short on space and parking though so make sure you get reservations or come early! -
Review from Justin H.
5/14/2012
Definitely pleased with this place. This was my first time here and for sure will not be my last.
I decided to go with the o-bento since I wanted to get an idea of the quality of food they serve here, and I must say it wasn't too shabby. I was happy with everything they served with it, although I didn't get any sushi with my bento and thought this would of been a nice touch.
The pumpkin fried rice was awesome and for sure suggest that to anyone looking for some good ole Japanese comfort food.
The next time I go I'm for sure going to check out their Japanese specialties they have on the other menu, some sounded pretty interesting to say the least. -
Review from Chisa H.
Bellevue, WA
4/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
My boyfriend and I have been wanting to eat at Ginza since it is close to home but every time we were in the mood for some Japanese food, Ginza was packed with lines going outside the door. We FINALLY got a chance to try it today and I was NOT impressed.
I ordered shio ramen - first off, over priced for the portion I got and what came in it. (3 little bok choys, 1 egg, 2 fatty..i mean really fatty pork, and some bamboo shoots) It tasted pretty good, the noodles were cooked perfectly so kudos to that but again not worth the $$
Boyfriend ordered salmon teri (17.50) - a mountain of salad and hardly any salmon.... tasted good though.
Service - meh.. it was okay. We never had one waitress/waiter. The person who took our order was different from the person who brought our food, asked us about the food, took away the food, brought the check, and took the check. It was very... "busy" Also overheard a waitress talking about certain customers in Japanese. Made me feel uncomfortable, understanding what they were saying about the people around me.
Overall my experience there wasn't anything close to what I was expecting. If you like over priced Japanese food (cannot say it is authentic as I didn't try any authentic "Japanese" dishes) go for it. Otherwise, there are better serviced, just as tasty, Japanese restaurants in Bellevue. -
Review from Jill C.
Renton, WA
5/23/2012
i love this place! Two things I HAVE to get whenever I go to Ginza are pumpkin fried rice and tea leaf pork belly!!!!!!
Ginza offer a lot of authentic Japanese food and the most important thing is that the food is so so so awesome. even though the tea leaf pork belly is a little over-priced for me, there is no way I won't order that dish!! so delicious! -
Review from aaron c.
Renton, WA
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pretty damn good Japanese food at a fair price. You have to try out the pumpkin fried rice with BACON! At first I didn't like the idea of pumpkin in my fried rice but damn it was good! Also if you are in sushi mood, I would recommend the "white express roll."
-
Review from jeff d.
Bellevue, WA
Updated - 5/17/2012
Best sushi in Bellevue!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/30/2011
Best sushi in Bellevue. Fresh fish, great selection and decent prices. It's not cheap but not over… Read more »
-
-
Review from Isy E.
4/2/2012
Oh man. This place is tiny, first off! I kind of like tiny joints, though, so this is not a point against them.
I wasn't greeted as I first came in, but someone noticed, and took my name. I was seated right away after that, so the long wait was pretty much the same as if my name had been taken.
We got the agedashi tofu, sashimi and tempura, and chirashi. Melt in the mouth, fresh goodness. Next time I come though, I'm definitely going to try their small dishes, but if the sushi is anything by which to judge, it's gonna be awesome!
The waitstaff is friendly, and the people at the bar seemed to be having a good time with the... chefs? bartenders? I wasn't paying much attention, but everyone was having a good time. -
Review from Yuri S.
Le sad. The last few times I've been here the food just hasn't been that good! And gotten so much more expensive! The nasu dengaku was TINY and way too sweet. The legendary pumpkin fried rice was lacking in flavor...a dish with BACON was LACKING IN FLAVOR. So strange. The raw fish in the sushi was still very good. Four stars for the sushi. One star for the rest of the food. Two stars for service (like others have said, it was pretty bad). I'm afraid I will no longer go out of my way to go here. This pains me deeply. T_T
----
My previous review:
I am of Japanese decent, have lived in Japan, and LOVE me some real Japanese food. I am EXTREMELY picky and I consider myself a connoisseur of Japanese food. I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in Tokyo, on the west coast, and DC - from hole in the wall dives to five star oh-my-gosh-that-cost-more -than-the-rent-on-my-apar tment places.
That said, I think Ginza is my favorite Japanese restaurant in the Seattle area. Although Nishino's and Shiro's may be phenomenal, they are so expensive! And quite frankly, just not as enjoyable and welcoming in atmosphere either - bit too fancy to be able to relax. Plus Shiro's tends to be a bit old-fashioned and Nishino's can be a bit too fusion/new wave. Ginza is some down home Japanese goodness, the kind of food eaten by regular Japanese people on a daily basis. The presentation is lovely but simple (as it should be), and the food incredible.
The nasu dengaku (broiled eggplant with miso sauce) was the BEST I have ever had, and I love this dish and order it everywhere I go. The eggplant was so buttery soft and delicious. The sauce was a perfect balance of sweet and salty! I wish I had ordered ten! I took pictures of it and posted it to my facebook, I was so in heaven!
The kabocha fried rice (pumpkin fried rice) was, as many reviewers have said, AMAZING. And, as another reviewer said, it did taste like my mom's...and you have no idea how amazing that is! I have NEVER found a place, even in Japan, that did fried rice as good as my mom's!!
My girlfriend said the shoyu ramen was as good as any she had had in Japan (I am allergic to wheat, so I couldn't taste it), and the broth really was exquisite.
I was carefully watching the food being delivered around us and it all looked (and smelled) amazing and fully authentic. The cuts of raw fish on the sushi were generous and looked like excellent cuts.
The service was quick and attentive, and we had no problem with our bill at all.Listed in: Places I like
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
3/11/2011
I am of Japanese decent, have lived in Japan, and LOVE me some real Japanese food. I am EXTREMELY… Read more »
-
-
Review from Deborah D.
Seattle, WA
3/25/2012
I am signing in to give review to this restaurant. The food is good and special but the host is really bad at assigning table. We waited for 1.5 hours to get to the table, we are a larger group (5) and the host screwed up the sequence and give our table to somebody else. Plus, just before we finally can sit down, a larger group came and they give the bigger table to them and insist that we need to squeeze into the 4-person table. It's ridiculous. But the manager gave us a free appetizer so we feel a little better.
The food is not bad and it's different - tapa style. Not so sure about the sushi because we only ordered 1 roll. -
Review from Nelson Y.
Great location off of Main Street, and while this is my 2nd time, I finally had the chance to order exactly what I wanted and to review this on Yelp. So here I go-
Service- Attentive and friendly, despite a 20 minute wait for a table of 6 on a Friday night.
Price- Pricey considering the lack of ambiance (neither too authentic or trendy). I think their dinner combo items are overpriced for what they give you- I got the Black Cod Sukiyaki and it was ~$21.
Dishes-
Broiled beef tongue appetizer: Chewy and not great considering the price.
Broiled pork belly skewer: DELICIOUS.
Uni nigiri: AMAZING. Good price at $6.50. Need to try the Toro next time, also seems like a good price.
Black Cod Sukiyaki: The cod was flavorful and tender, well made. Way too pricey for quantity. Comes with basically a bowl of white rice and a pile of salad that isn't appealing at all. Rather go to Maneki for the black cod collar for $6.
Pumpkin Fried Rice: FANTASTIC. Pricey, but worth getting it and splitting it 4-6 ways. Fills up about 5 or 6 bowls well. Really tasty and great texture. Came out of the kitchen last (not sure if it takes a while), but if you come to Ginza, this is a must-get. Signature dish. -
Review from Randall F.
Millbrae, CA
3/18/2012
I just happened to be solo for dinner and felt like really fresh, authentic sushi. Especially did not want an 'Asian' Japanese restaurant, I wanted to be greeted in Japanese although I have no comprehension of what is being yelled in my direction, but it feels as though they welcome you.
Sat alone at a table and was given a hot towel to clean my hands. Debated on a couple of fancy rolls or sushi but finally decided to order the CHIRASHI which was very fresh with just the right variety to make it a real delight!
There were many other dishes parading by me that I will most definitely come back with another companion so we can try more.
As I left, I was given a Japanese shout of appreciation! -
Review from Mint N.
Bothell, WA
3/29/2012
Authentic Japanese place run by Japanese people. I got there on Friday evening, It was very busy but was seated immediately at the bar because I was all by myself.
I had Tea leaf roasted pork belly for appetizer and Pumpkin fried rice which came in a huge pumpkin and was super delicious. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have O-Toro sushi on that day. So, I just had Chu-Toro and a few dishes of sushi. The total was 45$ including everything. Quite expensive. But the food is awesome, service is friendly and it's worth a visit. -
Review from Peter Y.
Bellevue, WA
3/3/2012 3 Check-ins Here
This is my new favorite Japanese restaurant in Bellevue. Great authentic Japanese food and sushi. Make a reservation as it is always packed.
We tried several dishes -
Pumpkin fried rice - Loved it like everyone else on here - the dish includes a mix of rice, japanese seasoning, pumpkin, and meat. It's great to eat the shell afterwards as well.
Tea leaf roasted pork belly - This was a great dish as well but the portions are kind of small.
Volcano roll - Probably the best volcano roll I've had in Seattle. The fish was perfectly seared, topped with eggs and Japanese mayo.
Fried mackerel - This was the only dish that we didn't like, it's definitely an acquired taste -
Review from Johnny W.
2/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
I forget the exact occasion, but a good friend of mine took me out to dinner here about a year ago. In my search for tasty izakaya food in Seattle, Ginza probably came out highest, at a solid 3.5 stars.
We ended up ordering the black cod (my baseline measurement for izakayas), pork belly, ground duck, and pumpkin fried rice. The black cod was nice and light, and certainly enjoyable, but lacked the flavor wow factor I usually look for in this dish. The pork belly was also pretty good, and would have been excellent if it actually had a bit more meat on it, as the extreme fat to meat ratio made it increasingly disgusting to eat with each bite - thinking back on this now, a bowl of rice would probably also have sufficed. The ground duck was just weird, and something I'd suggest passing on. The star of the bunch actually ended up being the pumpkin fried rice though, and this comes highly recommended. -
Review from Stephen G.
Saratoga, CA
Updated - 3/1/2012
4.5 star
The Tea leaf roasted pork belly was amazing. Service from the wait staff and chef was simply exemplary!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/25/2012
The Tea leaf roasted pork belly was amazing. Service from the wait staff and chef was simply… Read more »
-
-
Review from Jason F.
2/4/2012
I stopped for lunch at Ginza, my first visit of many! At this time the restaurant is under construction, but I could hardly notice it, except for some plastic barrier.
I had the special of the day, which was a very hard choice, considering all the great things on the menu. The special was Halibut Teriyaki and Chicken Katsu accompanied by Miso soup, a small potato salad.
The place was busy, but the service was quite good. The food was terrific, I just need to find a place to nap after taking a nap after one of these large lunches!
As Arnold Schwarzenegger says, "I'll be baaack" -
Review from Melissa F.
Bellevue, WA
1/5/2012 4 Check-ins Here
First indication: It's got a bunch of 4 and 5 star Yelp reviews and I see a lot of exclamation points in the comments and the quick tips.
Second indication: It's my sushi-loving friend's FAVORITE place ever.
The only thing I can say is how ashamed I am that it took me over 2 years to try this place. I finally suggested this place as a work lunch. Good cop out, right? If it's not up to snuff, I don't have to feel bad because I'm not paying for it. /snicksnick
I called about 30 minutes ahead of time and asked if I should make a reservation and the woman thought about it (really thought about it, rather than just giving me the brush off), and said that we should be fine. Sure enough, I arrived at 12:30 and was seated right away. I did notice that the tables and chairs and space felt a little cramped, but to me that just feels ..well, Japanese.
I didn't see the Yelpy-FAMOUS pumpkin fried rice on the menu, but when I asked the waitress, she happily went to check with the chefs for me. I braced myself to be disappointed. Luckily she came back with good news: it's normally a dinner item, but they'd make it for me. YES!
I ordered the PFR and a hamachi sushi, my companions ordered some rolls and chicken teriyaki. The teriyaki is rather ..deluxe. It comes bento style on a tray with a number of other things: small bowl of rice, little potato salad, miso soup, and a GIANT bowl of salad. I'm actually pretty surprised a Japanese place serves portions that large - it's enough to feed 2, maybe 3 people. The hamachi was delicious!!!! It was some of the best I've ever had - practically melted in my mouth. Do I need to review the PFR, really? Let's just say that I now have a total obsession with kabocha and rice. OBSESSION. I had a huge amount of leftovers that I couldn't wait to get home and eat for dinner. I've been squawking about the rice ever since. It's all over my Facebook, and my coworkers now have all heard about it.
I would do more than recommend Ginza to friends, I will drag them there! -
Review from Jon L.
12/2/2011
Ginza is one of those "Finally!" places for me. On my list to try for a while, but never finding the time to make it over. AmEx was holding their Small Business Saturday event last week and I decided to give Ginza a try finally.
Ginza is located in Old Bellevue just off Main. The restaurant has a private lot, but the parking lot can get full due to the popularity of this spot.
The front entrance is awkward and small. It always seems that there is a crowd huddled in this area. Probably enough room to comfortably fit a handful of people. Any additional people waiting will likely need to do it outside. Not a pleasant experience when it is cold out.
The restaurant is divided into three areas. The main dining room, tatami rooms and the sushi bar. Grabbed a chair at the sushi bar which seats 5. There is a great food selection here. It is not just sushi and sashimi. They have traditional Japanese meals and their appetizer selection is quite impressive as well.
Despite a formidable task of picking from a large menu, I decided to give the chirashi bowl ($22.50) and a broiled pork cheek dish ($4.75) a try. Technically, this was my first chirashi bowl. I am mostly a sushi person, so this is is a switch from the usual.
First thing served was a bowl of miso soup which was warming, albeit standard. The pork cheek dish came next. It seemed like it was grilled with soy sauce. This was also my first time with this delicacy. It's quite tasty. The chewy texture being the reason why. Portion is a bit small, but okay to whet my appetite for the entree.
The chirashi bowl is beautifully made. It looks too good to eat at first. Needed a plan of attack with it as it was like eating an ice cream cone. I say this because you don't want to eat all the good stuff first and have a ton of filler at the end.
For the most part, I found the chirashi to be good. The seafood was fresh mostly and delicious. The shrimp was kind of eh, but the fish (salmon, tuna, etc.) was great. I get a little sick of eating sushi rice after a while and I got that feeling here. But again the comparison to eating an ice cream cone applies. It is all about the topping, not the base. And in the case of the chirashi bowl, the seafood offerings on top are great.
Service was fine and sufficient. It was actually an eat and go type dining experience since the food came out pretty quickly. The ambiance at the sushi bar is not good anyway so that was fine by me.
I liked my meal at Ginza. It is a bit on the pricey side for Japanese food. But the fact that they have a nice selection of offerings other than sushi helps it to stand out from other places. -
Review from Kirstin H.
Bellevue, WA
12/6/2011
Ginza is hit or miss. I used to adore coming here, but lately, it seems like the quality of their food has diminished slightly. I prefer to order their hot dishes now as I find their sushi to be meh for the amount that they ask for. My favorite dish here has to be the Pumpkin Fried Rice. It's a whole kabocha that has been hollowed out and filled with yummy fried rice (and bacon!!), then baked and served warm. Heavenly!
Their daily specials are always a good way to go as the portions are decent and you're typically served an appetizer (shrimp and cucumber pickle), main course with salad on the side, and fruit for dessert. It's a cute little place but there is usually a wait and parking can be frustrating due to the downtown location. It would be wise to make reservations or go early if you're not the sort to wait around. -
Review from Christine Y.
Renton, WA
11/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hellooooo pumpkin fried rice!! Yummy!
We came here for the first time with some friends that were visiting from SoCal! Cute little place, good service, great food! I didn't know everything that we had but it was all so Yum! we ordered a couple omakase, Pumpkin fried rice, and a rainbow roll! the sushi was plump, buttery and delicious! there were even a couple of Uni rolls which was surprising considering how pricey they can cost!
I'm craving more sushi and pumpkin fried rice so I'll see you there! -
Review from Maksim M.
Issaquah, WA
4/1/2012
Super fresh, not cheap but it worth it.
Recommend. -
Review from Ken L.
To me, Ginza is one of those special places I go when I want sushi rolls, hand rolls and miscellaneous dishes I can't order anywhere else. I have made numerous visits and have learned to go as early as possible when they open so I don't have to wait in agony.
They have a large assortment of food items that really amount to a tapas (small plates) type menu for anything outside of sushi/rolls. The prices are higher than the average Japanese restaurant. However, this should be expected as all the fish and meats I have eaten thus far reflect their commitment to using the freshest and best cuts available. Oh yes, the PUMPKIN FRIED RICE was so mouthwateringly scrumptious as other yelpers have experienced! On one occasion, the beef tongue was too tough and they immediate offered to replace it with a different item with no issues! Service is great: the water and tea is always refilled constantly and they respond quickly to additional orders.
Ginza has just improved their parking lot by repaving it though I don't understand all the wasted space in the center where they could possibly fit more cars in if they striped it right. As an FYI, they will be expanding their business to the side facing Main St. The owner has indicated to me that they will have a Japanese Grill similar to that of a Mongolian Grill set up. I look forward to trying that side out as well.Listed in: Asian Eats in Seattle Metro…, Bellevue WA
-
Review from Matt N.
10/31/2011 2 photos
I love their sushi. One of my favorite rolls they have there is the tuna lovers. The pieces of meat over the fish were large and fatty, which made it all the more tasty. The previous time I went, I tried some of their rolls with the yellow tail. It was all very tasty. I can't say this is the least expensive place, but this is a great place to take a date.
I'm excited to try more of their rolls and their sushi. -
Review from Olivia L.
2/28/2012
Came here with the old roomie for dinner and I must say that the sushi was good, the service was nice, and I loved that it was clearly a neighborhood spot with people of all ages (a son with 90-yo mom, teenagers, families, and friends). I got the chirashi and got more food than I could actually eat! Uniformly high quality fish, yay!
-
Review from Tom C.
Seattle, WA
10/1/2011
We had a terrible experience here for my mother in law birthday.
1. The food was spoiled and not fresh - especially the side dishes.
2. No apology
3. They didn't even offer to replace the meal
4. Terrible service -
Review from Akshaya M.
Issaquah, WA
12/21/2011
Pumpkin Fried rice = divine!
Remember to order the pumpkin fried rice without shrimp or bacon if you are a vegetarian. This place had some amazing veggie sushi rolls too - which make it all the more exciting! Some pretty innovative sushi and sashimi options too for the true sushi eaters :)
There's always a wait in the evenings - so remember to call ahead for a reservation. There is ample parking space. Definitely my go-to plaace on the east-side for sushi! -
Review from Debra B.
2/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
This was an impromptu restaurant choice for celebrating my nephew's birthday when he was in town on business. We had a group of 6 and were given one of the private dining rooms which was nice. I was happy about the pit under the table for our legs since I don't do well seated cross-legged! I would probably still be there. The menu was diverse, the sushi rolls were fresh and tasted very good. We ordered a second round of the albacore & garlic - my favorite. Prices were very reasonable - tab with food, sake & tip was under $100 for six. This was good, but still not our go-to place for inventive sushi rolls.
-
Review from Shana S.
Bellevue, WA
3/13/2012
It used to be my favorite Japanese restaurant in Bellevue because of the freshness and reasonable price. Lately (I think since their sushi master left), I feel that the portion becomes much smaller and the food quality is not as good as it was. Sunflower roll was my favorite roll. The $13 roll is not so cheap but the size was really big that I was willing to pay for it (it was so big that I need to remove the fish they put on top to fit into my mouth). I ordered this roll again last week. It is now so TINY I can probably fit 2 pieces at once! The same portion applied to other food I ordered. I also ordered sushi. The fish is still fresh but it was on the ugliest/smallest sushi rice I have ever seen. Now, I think everything is overpriced.
I really like this restaurant and the people there. I hope they will be back to where they were before or I will start looking for my new favorite Japanese restaurant. -
Review from Sandra Y.
Updated - 8/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
so.. I came back. And now I wish I hadn't. My first experience was so amazing here, Boyfriend and I decided to celebrate our 3 years with a delish japanese brunch. EEKS. bad idea.
We walked in at 1220pm, so although it was right in the heart of lunch rush, there were plenty of un-occupied tables. When the server directed us towards the cramped area, I requested to sit at a larger table knowing we would be ordering a lot of food. She said that because of the lunch rush, it wouldn't be acceptable. So there we sat, so close to our neighbors it was impossible not to eavesdrop. I'm sorry, but that's so awkward. I don't want to hear about someone else's life problems when I'm trying to enjoy my sashimi plate.
The service was bad this time around.... it was nearly impossible to grab the attention of a server, and when we DID get their attention we had to somehow get their attention again because they forgot to bring us what we asked for the first time... Not only that, the other 4-top tables we had originally requested never even got sat while we were there for our hour-long anniversary brunch. They were so adamant about not seating a group of two at one of the multiple open 4-tops they made two guests wait.... and they waited so long they eventually walked out.
I'm sure I'll give them another chance, but not until the sour taste of annoying service has left my mouth. Or they learn how to properly seat their guests.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/13/2011
My Girlfriend Dana and I were craving Japanese but didn't feel like paying the price to eat at Flo… Read more »
-
-
Review from Lana S.
Bellevue, WA
4/22/2012
Amazing food and great quality sushi.
-
Review from Olga S.
Bellevue, WA
4/20/2012 2 photos
The restaurant is small and has very limited parking. I attempted to try it out on a Friday night and when pulled up there were no parking spaces available. So I came back to Ginza on a Wednesday night which was much better. Staff was friendly and attentive. Sushi was very fresh. Pricewise it is a little more expensive than most small sushi places, but it can be explained by its location on the Main St. What is unique to the place, they serve you cucumber salad complimentary before your meal as well as fruit salad after your meal, complimentary as well. If you are planning a visit in a group, they have two semi-private rooms in the back with low tables in Japanese style. Overall it is a decent sushi restaurant. Would come back if they had some sort of happy hour or special deals.
-
Review from Michael K.
Seattle, WA
7/15/2011
I don't go to Bellevue very often, but on occasion I will find an excuse to cross the bridge and wander around the slightly more classy and polished cousin of our dear Emerald City. If you're lucky and find the entry way to platform 9 3/4, you will find yourself in Ginza, a quaintly decorated restaurant with the best Japanese food I've ever consumed. The chefs are friendly, the waitstaff are charming and lightning fast, and the list of sushi rolls brings a tear to my eye.
Before I get into the rolls, however, I'd like to discuss the deep fried oysters. Now, I'm no oyster-lover, not because I have a problem with the flavor, but because I don't quite understand the appeal of consuming a food in the manner an oyster calls for. That being said, a deep fried oyster eliminates the need for the slurp n' swallow, and leaves you with a lightly breaded, deep fried ball of wonderful. The flavors that exploded out of each little golden brown confection were so good I nearly ordered another round, but my companion assured me that the room left in my stomach needed to be reserved for the rolls.
Sunflower Roll - I didn't even know what super white tuna was, but this one was delightful. A light and flavorful summertime roll, perfect for an appetizer or light snack with sake. I usually try to avoid roe, but it went well with the combination here, and I was not disappointed with the goofy bubbly texture it adds.
American Dream Roll - The crab and shrimp tempura were perfect, so full of flavor, and then to have the tuna topping it off created a roll that I actually wished was a true representation of the American Dream. Who needs hard work and perseverence when you have perfect sushi?
Fire Crunch Roll - YUM! Favorite - Easy. The tempura shrimp again was perfectly prepared and the jalapeno and spicy roe were such a wonderfully balanced kick. I find myself instinctively dipping sushi rolls into soy sauce at so many places, but at Ginza, it never happened once.
Mega Rainbow Roll - Regardless of where I go, I always try the Rainbow Roll as a personal test of the quality of their fish. What can I say besides WOW. It was all wonderful. Not going to elaborate. Just order anything they make and I will bet my gas money you're going to love it.
Definitely want to return to try some of their entrees, although I'm not sure how successful I'll be at letting my eyes stray from the Sushi Roll list. Simply fantastic.Listed in: Sushi Rolls
-
Review from Mona A.
Redmond, WA
1/15/2012
Even one star is too much for this place. We went there with a group of people after seeing nice reviews on Yelp. We ordered at about 8:25 pm, received our food around 10pm. We kept telling the waitress that we've been waiting for a really long time and she kept saying that the food is coming.
We almost got up to leave and they brought one sushi plate for one of us. We waited for another 10 minutes and another plate came in. It was awful. After a horrible service like that, the manager came and said she is sorry and she'dd give us 10% discount!!!! who wanted discount? we just wanted our food on time...The food wasn't that great either, compared to the Sushi places in this area.
Will never go there again. There are plenty better sushi places. -
Review from Andrew L.
9/5/2011
A large piece of fish sits before, and you know that it's screaming for you to eat it, because it's a nice place, a happy confluence of events.
To be said, this place gets busy, but if you aren't a party of 3 or more, you should be expected to be seated pretty reasonably, about 5-40 minutes, during dinner hour.
So the food, yummy bits of glory, here the portions are what you expect, nice and perhaps even more then plenty? Not really bits, more like chunks of fish are on the platter. If you thought the economy has taken a turn for the worst, you should be mistaken, rather you are mistaken, because this place not only has tons of customers of a Wednesday afternoon, they are all out enjoying Japanese American Sushi.
Here's the kicker, for a place embedded in Bellevue, you get a nice taste of Asia. There are more daring items, things you wouldn't only find in international districts and Chinatowns. I will let you find out what I mean, when you go.
So here's the run down, good solid food, at reasonable prices; dinner time, means a little wait, bit hey, you will find that when you want great customer service, oh they have that here also. -
Review from Chris O.
Lets get straight to it.
Came here with a larger group of people and they put us in the back in a private room. The menu is pretty big when I ended up with the
Tonkatsu: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Ginza Roll: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
For $15, I was expecting a bit more (at least more rice). You can kind of see it in my picture, but the tonkatsu is on a massive mound of salad/cabbage. The tonkatsu itself was thin and dry. I ended up eating ALL the salad/cabbage since the tonkatsu hardly put a dent in my appetite and I figured I'd try get my $15 worth out of this dish.
It's tough coming from Hawaii knowing back at home I could get more, better quality, and for probably half the price. *SHRUG* -
Review from Kenji Y.
Bellevue, WA
8/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here last night with my gf and mom after a long day sightseeing in Seattle.
Just liked the reviews said, the place seemed quite down to earth and legit (Japanese-run) from the get-go.
We only ordered the sushi (but ordered a ton!) so I was excited to see how this place stacks up against the only other sushi place I've been in Bellevue, Kiku Sushi. I'm not gonna even count Sushi Maru.
Overall, the sushi was quite good...my Japanese mom was happy.
We thought the tuna, salmon, yellowtail, squid, clam, and octopus were of excellent quality. But the mackerel and eel were a bit off...
The sizes were quite big too which was a huge plus for me.
Since we loved the first batch, we placed another order.
10 minutes went by...15....20...25...nothing. Really? The waitress said the order would be coming out shortly but it never came. After 30 minutes, we just cancelled the order and left.
Kind of a crappy way to end an otherwise tasty meal.
After round 1, Kiku Sushi is in the lead! -
Review from Marta B.
Bellevue, WA
Updated - 6/12/2011
Had a get together with an associate to chat about further plans in development.I arrived 10 min earlier,was excited since it was my idea to meet at Ginza.
Restaurant was opened for 30 min or so for dinner.There were tables for four occupied by two people,some still available...I requested a table for four and it did not happen.Hostess put me smack in the middle of the place at a tiny table for two.
Also, she suggested that while I am waiting for my guest I should wait outside.OUTSIDE??Restaurant is small and people were observing.Dang,I felt like an idiot and stood outside waiting for my friend.
No bueno.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/30/2011
Absolutely favorite for the FRESH sashimi,unique authentic delicate taste ,flavorful palette of a… Read more »
-
-
Review from Paul L.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 7/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Since my first review, I've been raving about this place to all my friends and coworkers. I had the chance of bringing people here because of how much I have ranted and raved about this place.
Usually when someone over-hypes a restaurant, it may seem over-rated (which I was afraid I was doing because I want EVERYONE to love this place as much as I do). However, the friends that I have brought here have all agreed that this is their new favorite spot for sushi and Japanese food!
So there you have it folks, this place rocks.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/31/2011
Let me preface this review by saying this...I hate fancy sushi restaurants that are simply "meh"… Read more »
-
-
Review from Pat M.
Updated - 7/30/2011
Apparently they've been sliding downhill for a while. The absolute last place I want to eat at is an unsanitary place.
http://info.kingcounty...1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
4/25/2011
I don't know what the big deal over this place is. The parking lot is small for the restaurant, the… Read more »
-
-
Review from Adine L.
3/25/2011
i LOVED this place. It's SUPER cute and the sushi is SO GOOD.
the service was attentive as well. need i say more?
i mean, really?
