With the waters of Puget Sound bringing in fresh fish regularly, Seattle has some similarities to old Tokyo. The city’s history of Japanese immigration and access to high-quality fish make it ideal for creating world-class sushi.
Japanese chefs and their students have established great Sushi Restaurants in Seattle, including regional specialties such as geoduck, sockeye salmon, Alaskan spot prawns, and British Columbia herring.
We tried many seafood places in Seattle and chose our top picks for the greatest sushi.
10 Best Sushi Restaurants in Seattle
From high-end establishments to casual neighborhood joints, there’s something for everyone. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the best sushi restaurants in Seattle city.
We’ll also provide recommendations for the must-try menu items at each one. So whether you’re a sushi connoisseur or just looking to try something new, we’ve got you covered.
1. Sushi Kashiba
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Phone: (206) 441-8844
Address: 86 Pine Street, Suite #1, Seattle, WA, United States, Washington
We’ve had large birthday dinners at Sushi Kashiba at an indoor table, had a $40 summer nigiri lunch outside in the courtyard, and waited two hours for a counter seat so that chef and owner Shiro Kashiba could personally serve us.
We can attest that this is Seattle’s best sushi. If you’re new here, you may not be aware that one of the best sushi chefs in the world, Jiro Ono, trained Shiro. Jiro is also the subject of a Netflix documentary.
Wait it out and get a seat at the counter if this is your only visit to Pike Place. Amazing pieces of nigiri, such as seared flounder fin and Norwegian smoked mackerel, will be served to you.
This is where you should go if there’s a special event wherein spending a few hundred dollars on raw fish is appropriate.
2. Taneda Sushi In Kaiseki
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Address: 219 Broadway E Unit# 14, Seattle, WA 98102
Taneda Sushi In Kaiseki has just eight seats, and with two nightly seatings (an early evening seating and a primetime seating), the restaurant only serves 16 patrons every day on Cap Hill.
They have such amazing sushi that it’s worth the effort to make a reservation. For $235, you may have an intimate and exceptionally special omakase that includes roughly twelve dishes.
The chef will personally guide you through the preparation and history of each variety of fish as you eat.
Every month, the menu is subject to change, but some of our recent highlights included seared A5 Miyazaki wagyu nigiri topped with caviar and flounder nigiri from Tokyo marinated in sea salt.
3. Shiro’s
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Phone: (206) 443-9844
Address: 2401 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
This Belltown restaurant serves great salmon (from Alaskan sockeye to smokey ikura) and tuna (complete with four pieces of different fattiness from the same fish).
Everything is wonderful, especially the baked crab handroll if it’s available. Their $80 table omakase is kind of a value for 19 pieces of delicious nigiri.
Enjoying a sushi experience here is a terrific way to enjoy amazing sushi without spending nearly as much as you would at Sushi Kashiba.
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4. Maneki
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Phone: (503) 662-2814
Address: 304 6th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Maneki is the oldest Japanese restaurant in Seattle, having debuted in the International District in 1904.
A quiet, secluded area in the restaurant’s back called a “tatami room” is a great place to spend dinner. You can take off your shoes and relax there while they serve you raw fish and beer on occasion.
You will get the best quality-to-cost ratio in the city and tender, expertly cut nigiri here. Not to mention the consistently interesting specials, such as negitoro gunkan maki or four varieties of wild salmon.
If you can’t get into a tatami room, everything is fairly priced for the quality and tastes just as good in the packed eating area.
5. Maruta Shoten
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Phone: (206) 767-5002
Address: 1024 S Bailey St, Seattle, WA 98108
Our last grocery California roll, which cost $5.45, is a distant memory. Almost all of them are forgettable, not because we don’t buy them.
Let me introduce you to Maruta Shoten, a convenient Japanese grocery and deli located in Georgetown that serves excellent imitation crab that has been mashed with mayo.
A twelfth of the price of fish at Seattle’s most upscale omakase establishments is charged for their buttery salmon, grilled albacore, and tuna sashimi.
Also, if the chilled shelves appear empty at any point, simply bide your time until someone replenishes them with new packages.
6. Takai by Kashiba
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Phone: (425) 502-7259
Address: 180 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Here is a sushi restaurant where everyone is together, including Microsoft vice presidents, influencers, and visitors who mistakenly believe Bellevue to be in Seattle.
Although the opulent dining area feels more suited for a Real Housewives episode, the 23-course omakase offers the same caliber of sushi expertise you would anticipate from Sushi Kashiba’s staff.
It’s important to make reservations, and although counter omakase is expensive and only available for two seatings per day, it’s worth it to be that close to the chef.
Whether you want Dungeness crab nigiri topped with crab fat miso or nine-day aged mackerel, he will adjust the amount of rice in your nigiri according to how full you are. He will also occasionally add an extra piece of fish.
7. Sushi Kappo Tamura
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Phone: (206) 547-0937
Address: 2968 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
The perfect sushi restaurant for almost any occasion between “I did laundry this week” and “marry me” is Sushi Kappo Tamura in Eastlake.
To be fair though, it also works to come here “just because raw fish is rad.” The quality is superb, and getting a table here is usually not too difficult. Also, sustainability is a top priority, so the restaurant is picky about where they get their fish.
You’ll be pleased with this selection if you prefer a chef’s omakase. However, Sushi Kappo Tamura also achieves great success when served à la carte.
A few more touches can really make the fish stand out, such as golden tobiko and sliced jalapeño on top of the exquisite Rising Salmon roll or grill marks seared on a piece of black cod nigiri
8. Sushi Suzuki
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Phone: (206) 466-6621
Address: 4116 1/2 E Madison St, Seattle, WA 98112
Sushi Suzuki has serious sushi, but it also has a relaxed atmosphere. Light streams through the windows as employees engage in small talk.
Enjoy a romantic night, catch up with friends, or perhaps try sushi omakase for the first time in our welcoming atmosphere.
Pickled ginger cube palette cleansers are the star of the show, but each of the 20 courses—such as smoky belt fish, yuzu-topped snapper, and three distinct cuts of tuna—has us swearing in front of nine strangers.
They are more refreshing than a blue Slurpee and are sweeter and juicier.
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9. Umi Sake House
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Phone: (206) 374-8717
Address: 2230 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
It can be challenging to plan a sushi dinner for a celebration if you don’t know how much money everyone wants to spend.
This is especially true if your friends continue to give you gifts after you explicitly state that you don’t accept them, as cultural customs can be unclear.
Pick an upbeat, midway restaurant like Belltown’s Umi Sake House that serves excellent raw fish. Great sushi, a semi-private tatami room (not too difficult to book), and lots of space for parties to spread out are all features of the vast, tropical plant-decked dining room.
Serve anything from easily prepared nigiri to elaborate rolls that may be shared, such as shrimp tempura with ghost pepper aioli or pickled eggplant with spicy snow crab that has been burned.
10. Sushi By Scratch Restaurants
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Phone: (253) 237-6761
Address: 2331 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
For a few reasons, this 10-seat omakase, which now has branches in Austin, Miami, and Los Angeles, has swiftly established itself as one of the best Sushi Restaurants for raw fish.
There’s plenty of opportunity to strike up a conversation with the chefs and diners next to you, despite the dim lighting creating the illusion that you’re underwater with glowing jellyfish above you.
You will be served 16 pieces of premium fish sliced throughout the evening, paired with creative but not garish nigiri toppings such as roasted red beet mustard on saba, brûléed pineapple on toro, and Anaheim chili yuzu kosho on scallops, hamachi, and corn pudding.
It’s a great location for someone who has never had omakase and spectacular enough for someone who eats at sushi counters twice a week.
How is Sushi Supposed to Be Eaten?
There are particular customs and manners to follow when consuming sushi. These customs honor the cultural value of sushi while also improving the dining experience.
One such custom is washing hands with a heated cloth prior to the start of the meal. Oshibori, the name of this custom, represents purity and reverence for the meal that is going to be consumed.
Upon taking a seat at the sushi counter, patrons can watch the itamae as he carefully makes each piece of sushi. A sense of excitement and expectation is created by this display of talent and precision, which enhances the entire dining experience.
There are a few etiquette to remember when you’re handed a slice of sushi. While it’s customary to eat sushi with chopsticks, it’s also permissible to eat it with your fingers, particularly in a traditional sushi restaurant.
Whichever way you choose, you must treat the sushi carefully and refrain from over-squeezing or dipping. Use soy sauce minimally, just enough to gently coat the fish side with sauce to bring out the taste without dominating it.
Also, ginger is not meant to be eaten with sushi; rather, it is customarily presented alongside to help clear the palette in between portions.
Every variety of sushi has a certain way that it should be consumed. Nigiri is traditionally eaten in one bite, with a slice of fish resting atop a tiny mound of rice that has been vinegared.
This creates a perfect balance of rice, fish, and seasoning by allowing the flavors to merge on the palate. Rolls of rice, seaweed, and different fillings, maki sushi can be eaten in several bites, while purists recommend eating it all at once to experience the entire range of sensations.
Who is the World Famous Sushi Chef in Seattle?
While Seattle boasts a vibrant sushi scene, the title of “world-famous” likely falls on one particular chef: Shiro Kashiba. Due to his impact and commitment to his profession, he has become a national treasure and a local legend.
The history of sushi in Seattle is intricately linked to Kashiba’s story. Following years of arduous training under the renowned Jiro Ono (of “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” fame) in Tokyo, Kashiba moved to Seattle in 1970.
For most people back then, sushi was an unfamiliar food. He established the first sushi bar in the city, introducing Edomae-style sushi to Seattleites and emphasizing the use of fresh products and careful preparation.
This was about sharing a cultural experience, not just about serving sushi. Kashiba’s commitment to quality and custom struck a chord.
Shiro Kashiba represented Japanese food as an ambassador in addition to being a chef. His impact was not limited to his eatery.
He also trained several of the well-known sushi chefs in Seattle, some of whom have gone on to build their own popular restaurants.
Kashiba’s influence is undeniable, which is why he is referred to as the “grandfather of Seattle sushi.” Nevertheless, his journey did not end there.
In 2015, he opened Sushi Kashiba, which is located in Pike Place Market, the epicenter of Seattle’s fresh seafood scene.
The restaurant’s intimate setting allows diners to witness the artistry up close, as highly skilled chefs—some of whom were once Kashiba’s apprentices—carefully prepare each piece using seasonal catches and the freshest ingredients.
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How Much Does a Sushi Chef Earn in Seattle?
As of April 2024, the average hourly wage for a Sushi Chef in Seattle is $24.76.
The bulk of Sushi Chef salaries presently vary between $19.71 (25th percentile) and $30.62 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making annually in Seattle. We are seeing incomes as high as $49.51 and as low as $11.76, however.
Given the wide range of typical salaries for sushi chefs (up to $10.91), depending on region, years of experience, and skill level, there may be plenty of prospects for growth and higher pay.
The Sushi Chef employment market in Seattle, Washington, and the surrounding area is quite active, based on recent job listings across many platforms.
Our system regularly searches through millions of active jobs that are advertised locally around the United States to determine the most accurate hourly salary range for Sushi Chef positions.
Final Words
Sushi is a culinary experience that should be enjoyed by everyone. And Seattle has plenty of restaurants that will make sure you have an unforgettable sushi experience.
From fresh fish to creative rolls, these restaurants have something for everyone. So don’t be afraid to experiment with new flavors and new dishes. You never know what you might discover.
Frequently Asked Question
1. What is the sushi capital of the world?
The “Omakase” style of sushi originated in Tokyo, which is often regarded as the “sushi capital of the world.” Welcome to the exciting and engaging world of food, where a lot more delicate things exist.
2. What are 5 facts about sushi?
- Sushi Dates to Ancient Japan
- Sushi Started as a Way to Preserve Food
- Sushi Was Eaten By Hand Originally
- Sushi Was Often Served At Funerals
- Some Sushi is More Delicate Than Others
3. What is the most renowned sushi restaurant in the world?
Sukiyabashi Jiro
4. How many years does it take to become a sushi chef?
So you want to become a sushi chef? If you are truly competent and willing, you could hold the title of ‘Itamae’ (meaning ‘in front of the board’) in as little as 5-10 years. This decade will be necessary for you to cover the fundamentals. And, during the first year, you will not be permitted to approach the fish.
