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Wabi Sabi
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
4909 Rainier Ave S(between Ferdinand St & Hudson St)
Seattle, WA 98118
Neighbourhood: Columbia City
(206) 721-0212
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
We specialize in Authentic Japanese Sushi, Omakase Sushi Dinners, Bento Boxes (with lots of choices!), and Japanese Izakaya - style (tapas) Menu
96 reviews for Wabi Sabi
Review Highlights
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"The ceviche roll was amazing, I would definitely recommend..." In 10 reviews -
"My favorites were the ceviche roll and the poke maki." In 5 reviews -
"yam fries: i love the combination of sweet and salty." In 9 reviews
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96 reviews in English
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Review from Hingdi B.
3/29/2012
The only con - they don't have a restaurant up north!!! :(
Parking - street - have to drive around a bit, but you'll find some!
Ambiance - Newish - hip dark decor, not too crazy.
Service - I went on a Monday night about 6:30ish and about half the restaurant was full - sat at the sushi bar and Mel - the sushi chef was very friendly and helpful. Service was fast. I guess it just depends on when you go...
Food - It's got a little for everyone - nice oldies and also some fresh takes. My now 7 year old picked the cali roll - I tried a bite and it was great! I think sitting at the sushi bar helps - Mel gave us some choices about the sushi - my son got his w/o the mayo which he really enjoyed. Also got the veggie tempura - it's deep fried veggies - hard to go wrong here :) I went with the Saigon tuna roll on Mel's suggestion - it's sushi meets Vietnamese spring roll - not a bad combo! He also recommended the Samurai and the Ceviche - but there's only so much I can eat at one time! I'll have to try those next time.
Recommendation - Definitely drop by if you're in the neighborhood! -
Review from clint w.
Updated - 3/11/2012 3 Check-ins Here
i've been here several times since my last review and attendence has always been a bit sparse. this last time, there were quite a few tables and to their credit, service still held up.
being a little shop vac, i knew enough to order some apps, because i know the entrees aren't built to fill me. some tempura veggies kept me going (squash, shrimp, etc.) while the entree made it's way to me.
the fish was not bad, but not melt in your mouth to die for. because of the apps and the beer, the bill was on the high side for a quick meal....but it wasn't outrageous.Listed in: Sushi Skills
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/31/2010
the inside is open, with a mixture of dark wood tables and blonde wood benches. the bar is right in… Read more »
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Review from Tom T.
3/11/2012
Asian Fusion, huh?
I have not eaten much outside of the sushi options, but have surveyed most raw fish combos that their chefs can come up with. I like sitting at sushi bars, this one is casual and intimate. The rest of the restaurant is pretty open, and has a kind of trendy/classy feel.
Similar to its neighbor, Spice Room, it takes a little while for service and food, so plan for some time and don't get upset when service is slow. It bumms me out that they close between lunch and dinner, and lunch is only offered a few days. I want sushi at 3:00 damn it!
But with the other options in Columbia City, I survive. And try the next day to get to Wabi Sabi before lunch closes. -
Review from Lynn A.
Seattle, WA
3/1/2012
If you like "SUSHI" ....you cannot beat this place for the BEST in town. My ATF grand daughter(s) wont eat anywhere else.....
Its on Rainier Ave So in Columbia city neighborhood....and can get very busy at times, so be patient and enjoy the best of the best -
Review from Amy B.
1/13/2012
I'm always thrilled to see a fabulous restaurant pop up in gentrified Columbia City. It is so interesting to see how this neighborhood is growing and changing -
If I was rating just the food, I'd give Wabi Sabi five solid stars. Everything is well made, the fish is fresh, flavorful, beautiful, and delicious. The menu is creative and offers plenty of your usual suspects (tuna rolls, salmon, yellowtail, etc...) along with some creative takes on the classics.
What is difficult about Wabi Sabi is the service. Don't get me wrong - everyone is SUPER nice. The challenge is that it is SLOW! Not the food preparation itself - just the order taking, menu bringing, water filling kind of slow. Reading other reviews, this seems to be a trend. -
Review from LaShonnu B.
Mercer Island, WA
3/31/2012
LOVED IT! Great service and great food! The yam fries are excellent as a starter. My drink was a Pear Sake Tini - amazing! I had the poke maki and a California roll! The fish was fresh and delicious. This sushi chef knows what he's doing! Nice Happy Hour as well. I will definitely be going back!
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Review from Kelly M.
All day HH on Saturdays during the holiday season?! Thanks Daren for suggesting this place!
It's a horrible habit of mine to go all over the place outside of my neighborhood and pass on by places like these on my way home or elsewhere. It's not like I never considered dropping by, I just hadn't found the chance to.
After a long day of work and suppressing the growls of my ravished hunger, I set out to this cozy this space in Columbia City just about 5 minutes from home. The decor is lovely and homey. It has a nice feeling with the slightly dim lighting and the arrangement of seats. Our server was extremely welcoming and kind. I had forewarn her I may order a lot with my hunger. She chuckled when I stopped at 3 things lol silly me. I didn't want to go quite over board with my eyes.
The yam fries came out first, warm to the touch with the right crisp to it. Delicious. This is something I can definitely snack on everyday! I also got the spicy tuna and poke maui roll which I am sad to say didn't have enough of a kick to it. Still, both were really tasty and fresh. After wards, I look at the desserts and opted for the mud pie but slowly averted my eyes towards the drinks menu.. Lychee sake wine?! Yes, please!! HH menu or not, it's lychee and I wanted it. How was it? Simply divine. Enough to make me wonder why I didn't just buy the whole bottle. The mud pie was yummy too, it had Kona coffee ice cream which is my favorite coffee ever actually.
All in all, I can't believe I never came here sooner. The food is great, the decor and atmosphere is perfect and service is good. You should come here and bring me along as well. -
Review from Tan Lo S.
12/21/2011
The only reason that I'm reviewing this with 2 stars is because we were ignored for 20 minutes with no server or waitress asking us if we wanted to order. My buddy and I got there first, and waited on our other friends. We were given water and menus, but after that, that was pretty much it. When our other friends arrived, still nothing. No greeting or waitress ever came up to us. And we had watched other tables get served or greeted on multiple times.
We even asked the server if we could order and he said "Okay." And never came up, nor did the waitress. We were seated near the right side of the wall. There was seriously no attention geared towards us. I'm sad because I've heard GREAT things about this place.
I honestly plan on coming back so I can get a greater experience and actually try their food besides water. There are too many good reviews that I want to give them another chance! -
Review from Kaye S.
Seattle, WA
2/27/2012 7 Check-ins Here
Great happy hour, even on weekends!
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Review from straight s.
Seattle, WA
2/28/2012
NOT a Good Value for money, especially for a simple Columbia City neighborhood joint. Some dishes are ok, but others just blah.
The tiniest tuna sushi I've ever seen presented in a Japanese restaurant--it was thinner than my pinkie. (Really guys?) Likewise, the eel in the unagi sushi was barely evident.
The sushi chef was obviously scrimping that night. shame.
They seem to also scrimp on waiters, as there was only one, in the restaurant during our entire dinner, struggling to keep up. -
Review from Joey m.
Seattle, WA
11/12/2011 6 Check-ins Here
LOVE Wabi Sabi.
We don't eat carbs and the sushi chefs always prepare us incredible platters with specialty, custom rolls, not using rice. They are delicious, incredibly creative and we feel like we are eating art.
The kids love it too! -
Review from Vicky L.
6/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I don't know what to say about this place. Good sushi. Pretty interior. Good location in Columbia City. But not very memorable. I can't remember what I ordered, my mood, or paid attention to the service much, but I did remember what I wore.
I was not wowed but nor was I disappointed. There are the usual sushi dishes and some unique to the place that still makes it worth a visit though.
Go check it out. -
Review from Jason H.
Seattle, WA
1/7/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Have eaten there at the bar and just had takeout over the weekend. The rolls we had (Maui, Spider, ceviche) were all fresh and tasty. We also had the five spice tuna salad which was good but the five spice tasted too meaty in a savory way to go on lettuce.
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Review from Gorman E.
Bad customer service and not enough staff to cover dinner service.
We were seated immediately but waited forever to order drinks....waited to order a meal....waited to get our food....waited to get my food...waited to get my Cali Rolls because she forgot...waited to get our check....and waited to get our card back.
I order Hamichi Kamu & Sake Kamu (best deal for only $5 each), Columbia-City roll which has no rice/wrap with cucumber, Cali Rolls and house sake.
My friends order the bento boxes and they didnt finish, only half of it so they tell me it was only okay.
Hamichi Kamu and Sake Kamu was delish but the rest was just average.
For the price, definitely not worth for dinner but okay for Happy Hour when you are in the neighborhood desperate for sushi.
TIP: If you check in, $4 off a roll during happy hour.Listed in: Best Happy Hour, My sh!t List, Japanese cuisine
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Review from Reesa T.
Long Beach, CA
4/27/2011
I liked this place, it made me sublimely happy. Need I say more?
Okay, I will. So I am a sushi fan in that sushi is a style of cooking or preparing food not in that it is fish. Actually I rather dislike fish, cooked, raw, doesn't matter. I have always been a fan of avocado rolls or cucumber rolls but they do get redundant. Wabi Sabi allows a vegetarian, who doesn't like fish anyway, more vegan sushi options that one person could eat in a visit. Oh darn- I have to go back!
This place is chic, the service was great and highly patient with my companion who was less-than-well-versed in sushi. The only let down was the pinot noir but that is hardly their fault.
I really liked this place- the thing about good sushi and me is that after I have it, I want more, right away. That is how I know it was good! I want more!!! This was good! -
Review from Anisia H.
Seattle, WA
3/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Definitely a nice addition for the 'hood. For some of us, there may be a part-surprise, part-resistant, part-pleased feeling for this spot. My husband, who grew up in the area, is still knocking his dome trying to remember what this storefront used to be.
Stepping into Wabi Sabi, we were immediately seated in a half-filled dining room. NICE.
Cool beats and a balance of wood, exposed brick, and a clean, contemporary design impressed us. SWEET.
Being that there is no host/ess, we were seated by a server on his way back to the kitchen. So, we waited about 3 minutes until we received menus from the front of the dining room. FROWN.
SHICHIMI CALAMARI Appetizer was divine. Lightly breaded, perfectly cooked - tender, not tough. GRILLED SALMON was the standalone star in the TOKYO BENTO BOX : flavorful, perfect temperature and preparation was better than most. The rolls were consistently tasty but the BENTO's TEKKA MAKKI and SASHIMI were less than great. Other than that, the food is.... SOLID.
I didn't check out Wabi-Sabi's website or reviews prior to coming, so I feel a little robbed of the information that this is a pan-Asian restaurant with a sushi bar. I came here on someone's word it was real good sushi, and I assumed Japanese restaurant. But, BIBIMBAP and KALBI BEEF are Korean dishes, and Loco Moco.....? I'm not opposed, and while Columbia City has a lack in sushi and Korean choices, I'll return.
P.S. Service needs a little kick. How do you seat diners without menus? What is your name? And, a smile wouldn't hurt. -
Review from pete h.
Seattle, WA
2/5/2011 1 photo
Oh Wabi Sabi, I really wanted to show you more love since you're part of the revitalization of Columbia City, the gummy neighborhood that I grew up in. I came here for dinner with my sister and gf and we all thought the food was ok but nothing wowed us unfortunately.
We ordered pot stickers, sweet potato fries, tempura combo, spicy tuna roll, soft shell crab roll, chicken udon and the beef sukiyaki. All of this came to over $70 dollars without any ordering any drinks. The pot stickers tasted like the ones that you get at the frozen section of the Asian market and the beef sukiyaki had so much salt in it that I had to down 3 glasses of water just to wash it down. A word of caution, when you order a sushi roll such as the spicy tuna roll, it only contains 4 pieces and the rolls are anywhere from $6-13 dollars. So we thought that was quite expensive for the quantity and quality. The chicken udon contained just a few pieces of boiled chicken with noodles in a broth. Tasted like we were eating noodles with a can of Swanson's chicken broth.
The highlight of the night was the sweet potato fries with a spicy aioli dip. Now that was good! However, given that this is suppose to be a Japanese Sushi restaurant, it was unfortunate the best thing we ate was the fries.
On another note, they do have a HH, which offers some better prices so next time when I come back, I'll probably do the HH menu in the bar instead of dinner..... -
Review from Alison b.
Seattle, WA
12/29/2011
I have eaten here often and it is really hit an miss. The last 2 times were bad enough that food had to be sent back. The chicken was not fresh and smelled weird. With all the local ethnic restaurants nearby you would probably do better next door at the Spice room.
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Review from Jen B.
Seattle, WA
5/29/2011
It was pretty good sushi (not as good as Kisaku or Fuji) - yellow tail, salmon, and rolls in particular were tasty and beautifully prepared.
Service wise, I think it must have been an off night - the sushi chef was friendly and loved the efficient host/busser - BUT - the wait staff was mediocre at best. Literally sat there for 20 minutes before they took our beverage order...and it wasn't that busy. Food came out quickly but think we will just head to the ID next time. -
Review from Kanchana S.
Manhattan, NY
1/3/2011 9 photos
Yum! I love the spicy tuna rolls here. We had them right before the happy hour was over and I was so happy. Best spicy tuna roll in town! It was crunchy, fresh, and spicy. I couldn't believe it was only $4!
Also, the spam masubi...delicous! I loved the hint of wasabi and what seemed to be mirin soaked egg.
Not so good was the yakisoba. Wabi sabi means finding beauty in the imperfect apparently, but couldn't find too much beauty in this piece of imperfection. We barely touched it and will be sure to add a few things to it to make tomorrow's lunch a bit more enjoyable. It was just bland and okay (dot dot dot).
Ambiance was simple and elegant. Service was warm and friendly. Will have to try the sushi bar next time. All in all I can't wait to come here again and try some other items on their menu. It was a bit pricier than other places but I think the seafood tasted fresher so it's a fair trade!Listed in: Cheap Treats and Booze!
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Review from H C.
Seattle, WA
12/21/2011
This place is pretty good. It's nice a close to home for me, which probably makes me rate it a little bit higher because of the convenience. The tempura is good there and the bento box is good (I substitute the california roll for something else). The miso is good, but isn't served with a spoon. You can get cheaper sushi, but I like to support the local establishments.
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Review from Matt J.
Seattle, WA
5/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dinner this evening started out shaky, but improved steadily throughout. Since the good easily outweighed the not-so-much, we'll start with...
GOOD to AWESOME:
Age ("ah-ghe") Mochi: tempura eggplant and melted mochi in broth/sauce
Kaiso (Seaweed) Salad
Bibimbab: Korean food in a Japanese joint? Sure!
Ceviche Roll
Nigiri Sushi: Aji and Ono were on the daily specials list; both were delish
Green Monster Roll: another special; my seven-year-old, who was stuffed to the gills, stared at the last piece and said: "I am *determined* to eat that." And he did.
NOT BAD (but not great):
Agedashi Tofu: I've had worse, but compared to the other dishes (and my memory of the sublime version at Cutting Board), it was uninspired.
BAD:
Wabi Sabi's "offer" on Yelp's iPhone app promises "$4 for Sushi rolls" when you unlock it by checking in. But our server regretfully informed me that it's not actually an offer--it's just an advertisement of their happy hour (which ended three minutes before we walked in) roll prices. I recommended that they clear that up ASAP; she said they're working on it. So minus one star for false advertising.
OUTSTANDING SERVICE
Given that everything else rocked, I'm not going to end on a sour note. A review last month painted a pretty bleak picture about the service; our experience tonight couldn't have been more different. Our server (Liz, if the name on our receipt is correct) was friendly and attentive; our water glasses were refilled frequently; and our food came out quickly, despite the place being 75% full. And when it turned out that they didn't have the Ama Ebi (sweet shrimp) nigiri sushi that we ordered, they comped us an order of regular Ebi (not mentioned above, because I didn't get a chance to taste it).
Wabi Sabi, Spice Room, and La Medusa are three sure-fire ways to truly "eat good in the (Columbia City) neighborhood." -
Review from Linz Y.
Seattle, WA
1/21/2011
Hell freaking YES.
The spicy tuna rolls are DELICIOUS. They don't mince the tuna into some amorphous blob. It's cut into a cube and stuffed into a bite-sized cut with jalapeno cuddled next to it. Yeah, jalapeno! It's awesome!
Their Poke Maki roll is fantastic. And they have Spam Musubi. You heard me right - Spam Freaking Musubi.
Ok, so happy hour is from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm daily. Get there early because it fills up fast! -
Review from Lisa M.
10/22/2011
4 stars because I met two folks here I have not seen in ages and had a good time. The food was good. I have had better sushi in life. We shared rolls, sweet potato fries, and my friend got the ahi salad and liked it. I would go back if I lived in the neighborhood and wanted sushi.
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Review from Rebecca S.
Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
Todd and I went to Wabi Sabi last night to satisfy a sushi craving.
We were seated right away at the bar, and were handed a bowl of complimentary (salted) edamame. We ordered a spicy tuna roll and salmon nigiri, and both were ready and in front of us in about five minutes.
The salmon nigiri was delicious - I liked how they actually put wasabi on it. The texture was perfect - not too slimy or fatty. I really enjoyed the spicy tuna roll - it was actually spicy with some srircha and the jalapeno inside.
The service was also great. Everything was quick, and they kept a watchful eye on us to make sure we were enjoying our food and if we wanted to order more. My only complaint is that the prices were a bit high. $4.50 for two pieces of nigiri is double of what I would pay in Belltown or Capitol Hill.Listed in: Seattle Sushi Spots, Date Spots, Columbia City.
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Review from Richard U.
Seattle, WA
7/27/2010 ROTD 2/3/2011
Spam-o-licious!
yeah, they get some bonus points for having my favorite canned meat on the menu. This essentially is a sushi joint that has a fairly large menu of cooked items as well.
The dishes:
spam musubi- an interesting twist with egg tamago on top. wish the spam was a little more charred. But spam is spam so I happily ate it!
Spam fried rice- mix up spam, and fried rice and voila! Perfect stoner food, or hungry asian comfort fare!
grilled mackel w/rice and salad: Mackrel is my new addiction. Decent option here with the rice and all.
Hamachi kama- those of you who have never had fish collar are really missing out. Seriously, its the best part of the fish! grilled to perfection, it is dripping with tasty fish oil! They only have one per day which I think is unfortunate. Usually I am the one that ends up ordering it!
Mochiko chicken- fried chicken kind of like chicken karaage like.
yam fries- very tasty! the chipotle mayo like sauce was GOOD.
Calamari- crispy and squidy!
tempura- as expected, fried veggies
the rolls-
spider roll/saigon roll/spicy tuna roll- probably a few more that escape my memory. None of them are sticking out as terribly memorable.
toro nigiri- probably the THINNEST somewhat laughable slice of toro I have ever seen. Way to stretch out that premium cut! my fault for ordering it on the weekend.
I have been here twice and as weird as it sounds, I liked the cooked items better than the raw stuff which usually isn't the case. The atmosphere is pretty relaxed and has a modern feel to it. The service I felt has been good and very accomadating. Overall a great edition to the downtown Columbia City food scene.Listed in: Japanese eats!, Columbia City Chow!
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Review from Aaron E.
8/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
So I lost my SPAM v-card here....
Hhhmmmm..... spam. I managed to go 23 years of my life without having spam..... and uhhhh..... I think I can go the remainder without having it again! Don't get me wrong, it was much better than I thought, but I think I'll pass in the future. I had two spam dishes here: spam musubi and spam fried rice. While I liked the musubi enough to have a second piece, it was a little off for me. Something about the texture and taste was not great. Maybe I'm picky about where I get proteins.... fresh from land or sea is preferable... canned kind of scares me....
.... Speaking of fresh from the sea, I was pretty pleased with their fish quality! They had a nice selection and it all seemed fresh!
The assortment of rolls we ordered were all good, although they were pretty slow to arrive!
The items that stand out the most to me were the yam fries, fish collar, and the calamari. The fries were served with an awesome aoli that was sightly spicy and tangy. The calamari was perfectly fried! The breading wasn't too heavy, no grease in sight, and it was the perfect level of crunchy. The fish collar was something totally new to me. But it was tender and I would totally go back just to order it!
Lastly, I've gotta give props to the sake bloody mary! I'm always on the quest for a good bloody mary and appreciate their unique twist of using sake and the SPICY AND FLAVORFUL mix they use. Maybe not the best pairing with sushi, but I enjoyed it! -
Review from Elizabethe A.
Seattle, WA
7/22/2010 ROTD 8/26/2010
I didn't really get a chance to try the raw stuff, so here are just some important things that I noticed:
Get the spam musubi. This was my first experience with spam ever, and now all the other spams have a lot to live up to. The spam was nicely pan seared topped with a sweet slice of tamago, then snuggly strapped on to a pad of rice with a strip of nori. It was soft, it was sweet, it was savory, and it was SPAM!
Sweet potato fries go well with japanese mayonnaise. I'm not saying that these were the best yam fries I've ever had, but I will remember from now on to ditch the ketchup, and use spicy mayonnaise instead. -
Review from Kira I.
Seattle, WA
7/22/2010 1 Check-in Here
As my first week concludes of being an active Yelper, I must admit that the large variety of people I've met have been the best and most outrageous set of crayons in the box.
That being said, Wabi Sabi was a great experience. I came late *tear* but just in time for Jennifer L to breeze over the menu and flawlessly order what all of our taste buds were craving. -insert awkward meeting moments-
Our server had awesome tattoos that I couldn't stop observing. They got even cooler after my second cocktail. Haha. The Lychee Martini was as good as expected. But feeding Todd his first Lychee ever- priceless.
+ Spam Masubi....WOULD have been delicious. Ask Kevin.
+ Calamari....an ink of a time!
+ Mochiko Chicken...reminded me of a healthy KFC.
+ Yam Fries! Who doesn't love the sweet, salty greatness of a yam fry? No friend of mine!
+ 6 rolls of greatness...soaked in beer or not; had excellent texture and flavor
+ Salad...great palate ending flavor
+ Spam fried rice...cubes of delicious in a pan fried sea of rice.
Yup. It was worth it. An adventure of a time in Columbia City. And the staff so generously refilled the Kirin's appropriately. End Scene. -
Review from J K.
Seattle, WA
So far, I've reviewed about 80 Japanese joints in Seattle and I think I would put Wabi Sabi in the top 15.
I would put this restaurant in the "standard semi-expensive semi-fancy Seattle Japanese restaurant" category, but with a small asterisk: they have spam musubi and it might be the best in town. I swear, they stole my secret spam musubi ingredient (I won't reveal what it is but suffice it to say this secret ingredient really pushes the musubi to unique level).
I gauge most Japanese joints by their bento. Wabi Sabi has an excellent bento, but you pay handsomely for it. (I'd tell you the price but I heard that yelp "hides" reviews with prices. The prices are on par with other restaurants in its category: Mashiko, Shiro's, Nashino, etc.)
The sushi dudes are cool: one was Filipino and the other was Hawaiian (whatever that means -- probably hapa. A few of the staff looked hapa. Hapa pride, yo!). I was told that the owner is Vietnamese and she owns the two Chinoise restaurants in town. Hence the yam fries on the menu.
The menu is above average. They have more offerings than the other restaurants in their category, but the selection is still somewhat limited to sushi and booze. They have spam rice, musubi, sake-tinis, sunomono, yam fries, takaki, gyoza, modern sushi, traditional sushi, yakisoba, beer, wine, sake, udon, bento. salads, etc. Again, more offerings than the average menu but no ramen, onigiri, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, kushi, etc.
The service was excellent. Very relaxed yet attentive.
If you live in the area, it's definitely worth a try. Pricey though. Watch out. If you don't live in the area and you love spam musubi, then it's most definitely worth a try. If you don't live in the area and you don't like spam, then maybe another joint would be recommended.Listed in: 100+ Seattle Japanese Joints, 5 Stars
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Review from Katy H.
I heard about Wabi Sabi a month or two ago and have been following the reviews. I'll admit I was a little nervous to try the sushi because I find there's a real lack of decently priced sushi in Seattle. It's either cheap and not-so-fresh or super expensive. Well, Wabi Sabi has ended my search!
I walk in and am immediately impressed by the decor. It's super clean, super chic and there is some really cute ironwork on the walls in the shape of different varieties of fish. I'm welcomed (in Japanese) but the sushi chefs and am immediately seated. The menu was extensive, easy to read, and really cool looking. I ask for some recommendations and the waiter was quick to offer some yummy suggestions. The ceviche roll was the first to come my way. It was a really unique take on sushi and the fish was incredibly fresh. The Rainier roll was another suggestion. It was SUPER spicy and equally unique. In fact, there was an entire page of Wabi Sabi special rolls and I'll have to go back a number of times in order to try them all.
I'm super glad Columbia City finally has a sushi spot! -
Review from Jon L.
7/27/2010
I looked up the item wabi-sabi on Wikipedia and I found it to be quite interesting. The excerpt in the article referencing that nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect is very reflective of this spot. Though there are some elements of wabi-sabi not found in the actual establishment. A Japanese restaurant that is classical and traditional would be better suited to this moniker than the actual place bearing it, which appears to be too flashy.
Wabi Sabi is I think the only sushi spot in Columbia City. Came here for a nice UYE event last week. Just the second time in this neighborhood after striking out with Columbia City Bakery down the street. Unfortunately, I found Wabi Sabi to be disappointing overall.
The interior is eclectic, though the wabi-sabi element is not very reflective of the place. It is really more of a cozy bistro type with some nice wall and lighting fixtures. The soundtrack to the space is very cosmpolitan, yet odd. It is like I was listening to the Frasier soundtrack.
The complimentary edamame were a nice start. Though best to eat it as soon as possible. It kind of gets slimy tasting when it gets cool. The big appeal for me was the sushi. I am really more of a kaiten-sushigoer so Wabi Sabi was a step up.
Going back to my referencing of flash found here, there are a number of Hawaiian items here including poke, spam musubi and spam fried rice. Just tried the spam musubi, which was fair. The problem was the sliver of nori was miniscule and the spam is best grilled to a crisp, instead of the lightly cooked preparation provided. The egg addition was different, but not all that appealing. Not impressed and at $4 for one a huge ripoff. It is so easy to make that it would be best to make your own if you have a musubi mold.
My group ordered the spam fried rice, which I skipped. Again, quite pricey and something easy to make. $11! Yikes! And, in Columbia City? For that price, I am expecting something out of the norm which was not the case.
Aside from my pain points with the Hawaiian selections, the other items were fairly decent. Other items we got were several different types of sushi, mochiko chicken, fish collar, yam fries, vegetable/shrimp tempura, calamari and some salad.
Of these, the fried stuff was predictably good. The yam fries particularly with the spicy dipping sauce. Shrimp tempura was nice and crisp. The mochiko chicken was a bit disappointing. Not like the type I find at home in Hawaii. The soft and fluffy texture was not there. This tasted more like chicken karaage.
Many types of sushi, with just one sticking out. The Saigon roll was interesting. It is sushi wrapped in a spring roll wrapper. The sushi was okay, it kind of falls apart a little too easy. Also, the salad here was interesting. The lettuce is ordinary, but the vinaigrette dressing is sweetly tart and lovely.
In general, the aesthetic of wabi sabi is here. This place is a bit up and down. Service was slow while food was hit and miss. Overall, I left feeling like kaiten sushi places are more of my thing. Upgrading to a mid-tier sushi spot does not seem to be too appealing. At least at Genki, I can get a reasonably priced spam musubi. -
Review from carrie L. B.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 12/19/2009 ROTD 2/9/2010
My previous disastrous drink experience left me treading lightly through the murky Wabi Sabi cocktail swamp. They've made progress, but there is ample room for improvement.
The food was the real star of the show last night,. On our table we had several delightful appetizers, a Chirashi bowl, declared the best ever eaten by one in our party, and perfectly barbecued Kalbi. Nothing gets me more excited than good Korean barbecue, and those short ribs were to die for.
So this is me, standing dogged, drinking a beer or a glass of wine to wash down my humble pie. I'll skip the cocktails for now.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/30/2009
Whoa, can I please have some vodka in this crazy-sweet-ass cocktail?
Alas, that is not what I… Read more »
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Review from Jonny R.
Seattle, WA
8/4/2011
This is the foofy type of place where the wait staff fold their arms behind their backs, nod their heads and say, "mmmyes, excellent, excellent." Well, not that fancy. It was just my waitiers style. But, they are going for that hip, NYC eatery kinda place. Not the most expensive for sushi, but not worth it either. Had the spicy tuna roll (very small and $$), sake sushi (just average), sweet potato fries (really good, but this is a sushi restaurant. WTH?), and the potstickers. The potstickers came 5 to an order, so if there are 4 of you then it gets awkward because who gets the 5th one? You take it. No you take it Im full from the tiny spicy roll. No, you take it...on and on. But, since this is the only sushi restaurant in the area, sometimes you are forced to take one for the team.
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Review from Nori V.
Seattle, WA
10/21/2009
What?!! Sushi in Columbia City?!!!!!!
I had the opportunity to attend their pre-Grand Opening last night. As you walk in, there is a red brick wall to the right that leads into the sushi bar. The interior of the restaurant is nicely decorated with fish themes, natural wood bench seating along the soft creme brulee yellow wall on the dining side. The hanging lamps has a silhouettes of a fish on the bottom, very unique.
They had served few items from the menus and brought to the table. First, the Tempura. Almost to the traditional Tempura without the batter flakes. Light batter, not greasy and fried just right. Second, the grilled calamari steak. It was sliced thin, perfectly grilled and tender, served with grated ginger and they had explained to use soy sauce. Not much flavor and I think they should have a signature Ponsu sauce to go along with it.
At the buffet table was the different types of Maki and Nigiri sushi. The Nigiri - tuna, salmon, yellow tail was all fresh and 'melted' in your mouth. Delicious! There were all different types of Maki served - Spicy Tuna, California, Unagi, one unique roll made from Vietnamese Rice Paper with (I think) Spicy Tuna, shrimp and the buhn noodles a kick of from the traditional Vietnamese Shrimp Roll and many more. For what I had tasted, all were delicious.
They have a bar (alcohol) with no seating. It seems they will only serve at the table. They have beer, Saki and other alcohol available. They have different 'fu-fu'-Tini menu drinks - different Sake-tinis and Vodka-tinis. I had the Pear Sake-tini and Pomegranate (vodka)-tini. They both quench the thirst! =)
Price is reasonable from looking at the menu and I know I'll be back to try other items on the menu (I will then update). Unfortunately, there is no private parking lot for the restaurant. You'll have to drive around the blocks of Columbia City to find parking.
The Grand opening is on October 21, 2009.
From the Wikipedia, Wabi Sabi means: "It (wabi-sabi) nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect." With that said, they will have time to grow and hopefully succeed in the Columbia City.
A MUST GO and TRY! =)Listed in: Asian Restaurants
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Review from Carla J.
Seattle, WA
11/4/2009 2 Check-ins Here
I experienced opening night, late night happy hour and take out! I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! It is clean, efficient, good prices and NEW! I love Columbia City and this joint fits right in just fine.
Good food, nice drinks and good service - it is a great combination that will end up being a staying power on restaurant row in the CC!! -
Review from Rhondalei G.
Auburn, WA
9/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
First off - Bomb salad dressing. I would go back just for the salad dressing, but there is more to Wabi Sabi than that. The addition of a sushi restaurant in Columbia City was a great idea and Wabi Sabi fits the look/feel of the 'new' CC area and establishments. The atmosphere is chic, clean and simple. The yam fries were good and the fish was fresh. I would definitely come back to try some of their specialty rolls.
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Review from Eric H.
Seattle, WA
8/19/2011
Second visit, consistent with the first, so I think we have the baseline for this place.
Ambience: Quiet, dark, elegant. NY Crooner music tastefully low. Slightly jarring scraping of the chairs they chose on their floors.
Food: Really outstanding. Every piece of sushi was fresh and flavorful. And we're totally converts to the Saigon Tuna Roll: bursting with textures and tastes (tuna, cucumber, avocado, cilantro, pickled ginger, spicy mayo & fried jalapeno pepper, wrapped in rice paper with ponzu sauce). I'm salivating just thinking about it.
Service: Great. Friendly and attentive.
Price: Kinda steep for me. Seventy-five bucks for the two of us, only one drink each.
Would I go again? Um... I must have more Saigon Tuna Roll. MUST. -
Review from Judy H.
Seattle, WA
12/23/2011
Just moved a two blocks away, and was delighted to find this clean, super-friendly neighborhood joint. We showed up with a dinner party that included an infant and a toddler, guests that came staggering in throughout the evening, and even more scattered ordering. Our waitress was clearly mobbed, but super-friendly and sweet. This place is a great fit for the C.C. community, and I'm still drooling at the thought of returning for Happy Hour. Noms on!
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Review from Will L.
1/22/2010 6 Check-ins Here
Excited at the prospect of Columbia City's restaurant offerings rounding out with a sushi bar, I headed over to try out Wabi Sabi.
I'm mixed here. Let me run through all the great things about this place, as they definitely outweighed the two shortcomings I found.
First off, location. As a South SEA resident, and having come from a similar neighborhood in Los Angeles, I absolutely love Columbia City. According to the US Census, this area of town is one of the most diverse IN THE UNITED STATES! And I love that this neighborhood cares so much about itself that it is in constant work to renew and better itself. I love the variety of restaurants and entertainment for a little village neighborhood. This area is a destination, especially now that the light rail stops three blocks from the main strip (seriously, exit the light rail and head south towards Edmonds St., hang a left, and walk three blocks through a cute neighborhood, and bam! You're here!)
Second, the design of Wabi Sabi's interior is modern and elegant. Their music playlist mirrors my iTunes 'groove salad' playlist. The sushi bar was warm and welcoming, and the cooks shouted out a greeting.
Third, the food was great. I had a sashimi carpaccio--thin sliced sashimi on a bed of rice--and a house garden salad. As soon as I walked in, the waitress asked if I wanted tea, and brought it over.
My only two qualms: there was a bit of confusion over who was helping me, and who was responsible for taking care of things like the bill, at least for me as a patron sitting at the sushi bar. As soon as I was seated, as I mentioned, the waitress went to bring me tea, so I started asking the chef about what different items were on the menu. From that point on, the waitress was very hands off; it took a while to get refills, it took a while to get the check. It would be good for them to make sure regardless of who I'm speaking to about what I'm ordering, that someone remain on point to make sure things like the bill get taken care of.
Second was the lack of a-la-carte sashimi dishes. They may exist, but I didn't see them anywhere on the menu. I might have missed them. But as far as I could tell, I couldn't order different pieces of sashimi individually. There were rolls and nagiri options, but not sashimi. It may have been as easy as just asking for it, but... I got hung up and self conscious about being an asshole patron ordering all kinds of off-menu stuff. And again--those options may be on the menu, and I may have just missed them. Lord knows, I can be dumber than a box of hammers, so I may have just overlooked that stuff.
Otherwise, this is definitely a place worth going. You'll have good food and enjoy a great venue. And from reading other reviews, it sounds like for the most part the service is excellent.Listed in: Columbia City
