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Gambas Japanese & French Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants French Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, French, Sushi Bars [Edit]
2230 3rd Ave(between Blanchard St & Bell St)
Seattle, WA 98121
Neighborhood: Belltown
(206) 728-5092
1 free sake with any entrees
NEW HAPPY HOUR MENU !!!!!!!!!!
$2 Beer and Sake
$3 Wells and Wines
$4 Cocktails
Sushi , Appetizers and much more...
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 12 pm - 3 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 1 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Tori B. said: "great service very friendly chef good fish" read more »
48 reviews for Gambas Japanese & French Restaurant
Review Highlights
"And they have happy hour all day on Saturday."
(in 22 reviews)
"...were so amazing, my friend dipped her spicy tuna roll in it."
(in 4 reviews)
"The diver scallops, escargot and fois gras were amazing."
(in 5 reviews)
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48 reviews in English
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Review from Hingdi B.
Seattle, WA
9/28/2011
Went on a Sunday evening around 7pm.
Parking: off street - we got lucky and found a spot right across the street, but don't know if that's always the case.
Ambiance: Dark, hip-looking joint, slightly sketchy as we had a view of the park across the street and a cop car parked in front. Music was a little loud for my taste - had to shout across the table (and we were the only ones in the restaurant). I don't know if it's just me, but the table also seemed a little wide - I had to lean in to talk across the table.
Service: Waitress was nice, a bit on the chatty side - I just wanted to order my food, not get a history lesson on the neighborhood
Food: The lobster salad was so-so - the greens were quite bitter but the chunks of grilled lobster were excellent. The 2 non-raw sushi rolls and both were good - the rice had a nice texture and flavor. The mussel appetizer was THE BOMB! They had an amazing mixture of sauces on top. Will definitely order that again if we go. We shared the red snapper which was on the salty side, but passable. For dessert were tried the tiramisu which tasted a little boozy, but the mango mochi ice cream was good (although you can get it at most asian grocery stores for half the price)
Recommendation: Ehhh, so-so, may go again if they have another coupon deal, but otherwise I'd look elsewhere. -
Review from Josephine M.
Seattle, WA
12/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
We were so excited to finally check this place out on Saturday night. Got all ready, set out, got there, and they were closed... We checked and double checked the hours posted online, and on a paper posted in their window saying their hours had changed, but everything said they should have been open at 10:30 on a Saturday.
A huge bummer, very frustrating, and we were starving. We went over to Local 360 instead to try that out and had the best happy hour of our lives. Maybe I should give Gambas two stars to thank them for helping us end up there... -
Review from Craig R.
My wife and I dropped by Gambas tonight for dinner during happy hour. I'm actually surprised at the number of sub par updates I've seen over the past 6 months or so. We had an excellent experience this evening:
-Super cheap drinks during happy hour
-Very attentive and kind wait staff
-The edamame was very tasty and so was the gyoza
-We had a couple of sushi rolls that were all excellent (especially for less than 4 bucks a piece)
We will definitely be back for another visit and highly recommend others to check it out during happy hour. -
Review from Monica T.
Seattle, WA
2/3/2012
I only ever go here because I live across the street. Plus its not crowded so I don't feel awkward being there by myself. I only ever get sushi, and it's usually okay. Today, however, it was particularly terrible. Big mistake on my part. I should've walked the extra block to go to Umi.
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Review from Sharon H.
Seattle, WA
8/17/2011
Where do I start.....
$12 for this water down well Manhattan?? Or $ 9 fancy name that tastes like AMF?? U gotta be kidding me...
We ended up with $75 bill for such below average food...
We should have gone to wasabi or somewhere else decent at least I would be getting the real quality of $75 food $75
First try ...for sure would be the only try... -
Review from Jane H.
Seattle, WA
1/1/2012
This is my first restaurant review on Yelp, and that should say a lot for what I am about to write. We made reservations through OpenTable for New Years Eve for a group of 9. And yes, I received the confirmation email for the reservation. We arrived to find the restaurant completely packed, one busser, and one waitress who is also the hostess. No one comes to greet us, so I wait patiently for almost 10min. Finally the waitress comes. I tell her that we had reservations and lo and behold, she tells me that they never received the reservation. Another large group entered at the same time and they were also told that their reservation was not received. From reading a previous review, sounds like this sort of thing happens often. You can only imagine how livid I was to have to mobilize a group of 9 to another establishment on one of the busiest nights of the year. Even though I did not have the opportunity to try the food here, other reviews in addition to this inexcusable experience has me convinced that I will not be making any efforts to give it another go.
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Review from Bernie F.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 4/14/2011
I'm sorry to even have to come back and give a mediocre update.
Since our first time to Gambas we have been back 2-3 more times and each time I've left more and more disappointed. Why? The food and the freshness I raved about before just isn't there! We keep ordering the Poki Tuna and each time it is served differently (without the roe) and less fresh. We took an out of town business associate there last week and noticed the tuna in our poki tuna was kind of brown! I stopped eating it however, my finance finished ours and lets say was not a happy camper later that evening. I felt Gambas sushi no longer tastes as fresh and leaves my mouth watering for more like our fist visit. It's not a horrible restaurant but after giving it several chances in case we keep getting an off night, we've decided to not revisit again.
Note: It is also very noticeable that each time we go, we seem to be the only one in the place. Maybe by chance 1 other party will come in, but not usually.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/7/2010
My first Sushi experience in Seattle and Gambas made it amazing!! I love sushi and am very… Read more »
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Review from Christopher T.
Seattle, WA
5/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I hate to write a bad review for anyone, but I did not enjoy my experience at Gambas.
It was New Year's Eve, and we were making plans for dinner. We made a reservation through Open Table, and we also happened to have a http://Restaurant.com coupon. I understand that it was New Year's Eve, but that isn't a great excuse for bad service.
When we arrived, they did not have a table reserved for us. We waited for 7 or 10 minutes while they scrambled around trying to figure out how to seat us. First they seated us at a table, then a couple minutes later asked us to move to seats at the bar. Not a good start.
When I presented my coupon to the waitress before ordering, the owner/manager overheard me and interrupted to tell me that we couldn't use it. He explained that it was New Year's Eve, their biggest night of the year. I'm still not sure how that negated the coupon, but there wasn't much I could do about it -- I was hungry and didn't want to cause a huge fuss at a busy restaurant. However, I assure you that I checked the fine print multiple times to make sure that there were no restrictions against using the coupon on a holiday or at certain times or on certain days. According to the coupon, we were well in the clear. That was perhaps the most frustrating part.
Unfortunately, the beginning of our experience colored my perception of the rest of our meal. I was not especially impressed by the drinks or food. We had some gyoza, some sushi rolls, and some other Asian-fusion style dishes that were good but not great. And perhaps because I was expecting to save a little cash to begin with, I thought that the prices were a little... pricey. The food and drink service was also frenzied and erratic, which doesn't make for a relaxed dining experience.
Like I said, I hate to give a bad review, but I can't help it. I had a really terrible experience here. They get an extra star because there was nothing especially wrong with the food. -
Review from Chris O.
3/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Happy Hours: 5-7pm & 11pm-1am
Happy Hour Menu: http://gambasrestauran...
Friend wanted to get some happy hour food and we landed at Gambas. After you get startled by the door slamming behind you, you'll be present with a small and dark eating area.
I ended up ordering the spicy california roll ($3.50 / 8 pieces), shrimp tempura roll ($4 / 6 pieces), gyoza ($3.5 / 6 pieces...I think), and tempura a la carte ($4). Nothing blew my mind away, but nor did it disappoint.
Parking: just got to find street parking, good luck! -
Review from JC L.
Spokane, WA
9/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great sushi, nice atmosphere. Overall good experience.
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Review from Jeannette C.
Seattle, WA
4/4/2011
I enjoyed my second meal from Gambas today, my first one in its dining room. (Yes, folks, they deliver within one mile of their Belltown location!) The space is dark and cozy, with room for maybe 30 diners at tables, and 10 more at the sushi bar.
At lunch they have ramen, and the tonkatsu rivals that of my favorite noodle shop, for only $6 (they also offer udon and curry for this price at lunch) - that is very cheap for a downtown lunch.
Everything I've sampled from the menu has been delicious - top-notch preparation and ingredients. My choices have all been traditional Japanese fare, but I am excited by several of the French-influenced mains.
I noticed a sign for cheap sushi and $2 beer at happy hour - that'll probably motivate my next visit. -
Review from Sarah L.
8/19/2010 1 Check-in Here
How do I describe this restaurant?
Japanese? Not really.
French? Certainly not.
American? Ding! Ding! DING! We have a winner....
Allow me to explain. Japanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on simplicity in preparation to maximize the natural flavors and taste of the fish. Dashi, miso, and soy sauce are typically used which are low in fat but high in salt. Fresh quality cuts of sashimi should melt in your mouth and send you to nirvana. Gambas, a "Japanese" restaurant, obviously lost this mentality.
That said, HOLY MAYONNAISE BATMAN! Or since this place claims to be French, shall I saw aioli? In a word, gross. In a sentence, if you are looking for flavorful unadulterated sushi/sashimi, avoid this place at all costs.
My friend and I ordered the Sushi Sandwich and Gambas roll. Both drenched in Gambas special spicy sauce which is code for about a 1/2 cup of heavy mayonnaise sauce slathered over every bite. There was so much of this crap on every nook and cranny of the that it was borderline unedible. It was hard to tell that there was even yellowtail, ahi or albacore present in the dish.
We also had the salmon collar, which was acceptable. However on the menu it described the dish as broiled, yet it came to the table deep fried. What ever happened to truth in advertising?
Something else that bugged me was their "Kahlua Creme Brulee". We didn't order it, yet on the menu it was spelled "Cahula":...hmm.
I should have seen the warning signs earlier when I asked one of the Japanese servers what he liked or what he recommends and he couldn't respond other than, "I don't know, I don't eat here..."
I think that describes this place in a nutshell. -
Review from Inna B.
Seattle, WA
Updated - 7/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
Ugh, the happy hour nigiri sushi was small and not a "holy crap the texture and flavor is amazing so I don't care!" kind of small. Just little bit of rice, small piece of fish. SAD.
The waiter seemed pretty nice, but it weirded me out how empty it was in the restaurant. They had at least 3-4 people on staff, and I'm pretty sure I was the only customer in there. Not a good sign!!
The sushi was fine, it was just.... not that great a deal, considering the amount of food I got for some okay tiny pieces of sushi.
After spending about $15 on sushi and a glass of wine, I ended up leaving unsatisfied. For $20 elsewhere I was able to get enough delicious nigiri to satisfy both my hunger and my sushi craving. I kind of regretted going to Gambas first, because I would have much rather just ordered more at the other spot...Listed in: Happy Hour Adventures!, Belltown
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/2/2010
I've passed by Gambas a number of times and the sign advertising "$1 sushi" (during happy hour) has… Read more »
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Review from Rebecca S.
Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
While I live really close to Gambas, I usually avoid it because of Kelly's next door. Kelly's is hands down the worst place in Belltown, and maybe even Seattle. I can't walk by without being hassled, so I usually just avoid that side of the street.
I decided to go to Gambas today to check out their lunch specials, but they're all about $10-12 and came with stuff we didn't want, so we just ordered three rolls and split them. We ordered one California roll, one Philadelphia roll, and one spicy tuna - all of which were $5 for eight pieces. We also ordered miso soup, which were $2 each, and brown rice hot tea for $1 each.
I didn't really like the miso soup - I swear they put cream in it or something to where it tasted off. The brown rice green tea was strong and good though and the rolls were a decent size for the price, not as big as Umi's, but bigger than Sushi Wave's. The fish was fresh, and the spicy tuna was perfect. The service was also pretty good with frequent tea refills but we did have to wait about twenty minutes for the sushi to be made.
I'll definitely come here again though, or I'll at least take advantage of their free delivery to avoid Kelly's.Listed in: Belltown, Lunch in Belltown, Seattle Sushi Spots, Who delivers?
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Review from Grace C.
Seattle, WA
6/11/2011
Friend of mine introduced me to this place. We sat at the bar and let Gamba dole out the omakase. The food was incredible. My favorite is sea urchin with a quail egg - perfectly delicate with a subtle sweetness and so fresh. This place is a gem.
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Review from Dan T.
Seattle, WA
12/15/2010
The worst sushi I've ever had, I'd prefer plastic containers from the grocery. The striped sea bass smelled like old fish and was mushy, I just ate a few hours ago and I'm still worried I might get ill. I sent back the second piece and they still charged me for it.
My friend had the lamb shank and enjoyed that but if you're going to serve sushi, you better know what you're doing. -
Review from Eugene C.
Updated - 5/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Finally returned for some of the more Japanese style food (versus their European/French fare). I had the pork tonkatsu ramen, and thought it was excellent. Maybe my taste buds were off on this particular day, but I felt that Gambas's version of this ramen rivaled Samurai's (in the ID). Noodles were perfectly al dente. Broth was rich and deep in flavor. Pork was tender and moist. A very good deal for under $10. This is now my new favorite ramen place. My buddy had the Japanese curry beef with rice, of which I stole a taste. It tasted good but was not as generous a portion as the ramen. As others have posted, the happy hour maki sushi is pretty lame, but cheap.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/27/2010
This is a restaurant with a somewhat schizophrenic personality. It is a restaurant with French… Read more »
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Review from Joy S.
WA
Updated - 4/18/2010
Hurry! You only have until April to get fresh mirugai (geoduck), and then you have to wait until September. It's $3.50 per-piece nigiri (although, you have to order two...so a 65 order), which was worth it to me. Then again, i like me some giant sand-phallus.
HURRY UP!
Anyway. I came back to Gambas, not only for their $1-per-piece nigiri Happy Hour (certain kinds, like tobiko gunkan, maguro, sake, etc) because, despite its Belltown location, I consider it Belltown's "black sheep". It is not the Wasabi Bistro with the "happy hour nigiri platter" or the same list of tempura-fried-everything that i am so g.d. sick of, where i can not find a seat, where every drunken sparkly-topped drunken clubber is competing for the attention of a sushi chef that may not even speak a lick of Japanese.
I called from my car on my way from school to find out if Mercer was a decent exit from 1-5 to take, and the young lady on the phone reminded me of the cross streets without sounding interrupted or put-upon. I showed up with my 500-ton backpack, stuffed with chemistry homework. Upon arrival, she warmly remembered me and my name from the one time i came here awhile ago. It wasn't crowded (around 5 on a Thursday), but i noticed one couple brought their little baldy 6-month-old baby to eat with them (how amazing is THAT?). Regulars come here too, not just throngs of people coming down off a drinking binge.
They have an online menu, but you should really see it for yourself in person because i don't think the website is updated. I need to go back to try the entrees such as the escargot and foie gras, because they are not the typical styles. What i tried this round:
- Happy hour nigiri: $1each tobiko gunkan. Crunchy, fresh, and sweet! Not stinky like it can sometimes be. I love this stuff!
- Happy h. mackerel (saba) nigiri: $1.50 each. Only got one because i like it a little more oily or stinky. Maybe i am used to the conveyor-belt stuff, which isn't so fresh. So i guess that means Gambas' saba is not stinky-poo mackerel. Sad-face-Joy, Happy-face-You?
-Happy h. ika nigiri: $1.50 each. I usually NEVER order raw squid as nigiri because it tastes like warm, sticky glue. But i was curious, like a 4th grader in art class all over again. I ordered more! This was delicious! No gluey taste at all! I LOVED it!
-Happy h. unagi: $1 each (or $1.50...i forget). I love the unagi here. That's all.
- i also ordered soft shell crab on the app. menu. It comes over a salad, which makes you think, "Oh, another tiny salad with a boogar-sized fried crab leg." No...the chef who runs this place made this crab the best way i have ever had it. I don't want molting blue crab buried in a "spider roll". I want to taste it! I liked the plain salad beneath it. Just a little citrus dressing so i could munch on it after my crab and me had our business. Because when it's time for the two of you to get down, you don't want a big-ass salad getting in the way. After you do the deed, the salad is refreshing to nibble on. And the crab was not fried like a Double Down KFC nightmare, ok? This was delicate!
I got full and it was too bad because i wanted more. I did not want to resent my food though, so i left the rest of my curiosities for the next visit. I don't bother with happy hour rolls, really. I like the $2 sake, and will be beside myself when they get their liquor license.
They are a little hard to find....3rd Avenue and off of Lenora. It's close to that awkward split in the road from the monorail off of 5th Ave. Anyways....like i said, you only have until the end of April to have youself some geoduck.
And they are not open on Sundays. So do not try takin yo' mama there for mama's day.
*joy
p.s. they totally did not mind me breaking out my chemistry homework here. There is not a lot of room at Gambas, so do not expect long corridors like Umi or giant, private booths like a lot of Korean restaurants, but hospitality provides room in other ways.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/28/2010
i parked here to wait for a friend an Wann nearby. It was Saturday and they had some $1+ sushi… Read more »
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Review from K H.
Seattle, WA
5/12/2010 7 photos
It's basically an above-average traditional Japanese (American-style) restaurant with some French menu items (like escargot). It's small and in an odd part of Belltown, so it doesn't seem inviting, but once inside, I felt comfy.
I would put this in the category of semi-nice, traditional Japanese restaurant. The menu didn't stray too far away from sushi, gyoza, etc. So I ordered a chef's choice handroll which was delish. Escargot was nice. Gyoza had a special something. Well worth checking out.Listed in: Within Walking Distance, 100+ Seattle Japanese Joints
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Review from Chantee F.
Renton, WA
7/27/2011
I had a terrible experience here! Do not waste your time and money at this restaurant!
After getting seated at their empty restaurant during prime time dinner hours, I got absolutely no service. No menu, no water, nothing.
One staff member talked on the phone for the entire time, the other looked at my table from behind the kitchen and did nothing.
I left after 15 min of zero interaction. I am pissed since I paid $25 for an online coupon that I could not use because I didn't get any service! Absurd. -
Review from Stephanie T.
San Francisco, CA
4/2/2009
This place was exceedingly disappointing.
I really make an effort to keep my list of reviews full of places I would recommend that friends and visitors go, but given the limited number of reviews for this place and the deceptively high marks it seems like it would be irresponsible to go silent. That, and I genuinely hope that this restaurant improves, since the concept is interesting and it's also close to my place.
Judging by the menu it seemed like there were a number of innovative dishes. And if you were giving points for overall effort it was clear that the two chefs in the semi-visible kitchen are working very hard.
But in terms of food quality, I have to say it: this place's food just plain sucks.
Warning sign #1: We heard the microwave timer go off before we received our [mediocre] miso soup. Either hide your kitchen or don't use a microwave.
Warning sign #2: Asking the waitress what was French or Japanese about the menu was answered by a look of general confusion.
Warning sign #3: A month after opening the restaurant is promoting its "grand opening" with a $1 sushi night. (Though admittedly this could be a really good deal, I don't know)
Warning sign #4: The top 3 dishes on the menu (and also the ones highly recommended while ordering) were the same dish, just with different kinds of fish.
Note: the fish was way overcooked and the pasta was sub-par. Also, word to the wise, fusion is more than serving both fettuccine and sushi on your menu.
Warning sign #5: Each course takes 30 minutes, plus and you are the only ones in the restaurant.
In short, the only reason this restaurant even gets two stars is the points it gets for trying and that my friend's teriyaki beef was better than everything else we had. And, to be fair, they get points for being willing to sell nigiri for $1.
Not impressed, Gambas, but hopeful that you might get better and show me what is awesome about a French-Japanese combo. -
Review from Mike S.
Seattle, WA
4/2/2009
I went there with a couple of friends encouraged by the positive reviews on yelp. It was most likely the worst food I have had in a long time. I ordered the halibut, which was recommended by the waitress. The fish was way overcooked (it tasted like wood shavings) and flavorless. The pasta sauce was also fairly flavorless. Overall, I wouldn't go there again. They get 2 stars only because the waitress was really friendly, and the dish ordered by one of my friends seemed better than mine. I am also curious if their sushi is better than the entrees.
PS. It's interesting that all but 1 reviewers who gave this place 5 stars just joined yelp and it was their first review. -
Review from Vi N.
San Diego, CA
6/13/2010
The exterior of the building makes you question the integrity of the restaurant. It is located next to Kelly's bar and when you step inside, you aren't sure you made the right decision. The interior looked new but the restaurant was pretty empty except for 2 other patrons.
We were only going to order sushi but decided to order off their regular menu as well. For Sushi, we ordered the spicy tuna roll, unagi and ikura. Unagi was great! Spicy tuna was decent.
However, what amazed us were the dishes off the regular menu! The diver scallops, escargot and fois gras were amazing! They were so good, we ordered another order of each! The sauces in these dishes were so amazing, my friend dipped her spicy tuna roll in it!
Would definitely recommend this place to my friends. Order off their regular menu and you won't be disappointed. -
Review from Paul F.
Seattle, WA
5/18/2009 1 photo
I've passed by this place a million times and considered it, but was very skeptical about eating from a french/sushi place directly next to Kelly's, our local depository of human shame and sadness. But a friend of mine suggested it, and pointed out how fun it could be to watch the patrons stand outside and do their shameful rituals.
I went during happy hour on Friday, which I recommend doing because it's cheap as hell and pretty much awesome (4-7)
The sushi is fresh and tasty, I especially like their spicy tuna, tuna and mayo are for sandwiches not sushi.
Oh, and I'm completely ignoring the French aspects of this place, don't care. -
Review from Amy N.
6/10/2009
So they say this place is "Japanese-French." I looked through the menu and the closest thing I could find to French may be the "lamb chops." So if you're looking for Pate and Foie Gras, this is not the place to go.
However, if you want cheap (while not necessarily quality) sushi for your weekly happy hours, this is a decent place to go to. You can get rolls for 3 bucks per roll. $3 beer and $3 sake also make this place decent for happy hour.
Sushi quality is so-so. Don't expect freshness. I ordered Uni sushi and being the Uni fanatic I am, I could tell by the color and taste that it was not fresh at all. I also spent longer than usual in the bathroom upon consuming the Uni.
Stick to the california rolls, spicy tuna rolls, and a bud lite...and you're good to go. -
Review from Chris E.
Seattle, WA
4/14/2011
Once upon a time there was a thing called the family restaurant. There are some examples of the family restaurant all over, some do great (Rancho Bravo on Capitol Hill comes to mind, Senor Moose in Ballard...) There's a lot to love about a restaurant run by a family. You feel good eating there, it can feel like your own family, even.
Or it can be awkward and uncomfortable like dinner with family.
we came in to Gambas on one of our regular neighborhood sorties based on a recommendation of a co worker who wears his love of siracha on his sleeve, literally. We sat at the sushi bar, got drink menus and I ordered a rum and ginger ale from what appeared to be the matriarch. My girlfriend meanwhile studied the drink menu.
Like a school play about to commence, there was a great deal of scurrying behind a drape, the young man who was dressed in the role of sushi preparer disappeared and some dialog, upstaged by curtains, was heard. (no subtitles)
Mom came out and said they only had diet sprite.
OK.
My girlfriend got a drink from the beverage menu and I ordered some sashimi. I should say: I feel that the best sushi comes from a place busy enough to be going through a lot of product. And this place doesn't look like it sells much.
My girlfriend's drink came in a martini glass with a crooked stem, very 80's! It kind of reminded me of the 80's when I tasted it, too because in the 80's I was really into the "suicide" slushie at 7-11. *
I ended up with a rum and sprite.
We ate the sushi, mom demanded to know if we were having more soon, we got the check, which took several minutes to total and deliver.
Go elsewhere: Umi, Shiro, Japonessa, Anywhere but here.
*the suicide is when you had a taste of every flavor of soda in the machine. crazy, right?!? ahhh to be young again. -
Review from Matt R.
7/20/2009
The $1 Nigiri during HH and all Saturday is tough to beat- as are the $3 spicy tuna/spicy salmon rolls or handrolls. The Rolls are huge- 8 good size pieces for $3. We stuck to sushi so can't speak to the other food on the menu. Although I did give it a good read and I couldn't find anything remotely French on the menu.
Fish seemed fresh and the restaurant was clean and nice enough.
Main beef was the service. Older lady was the only server they had working on a Saturday night at 7:30 and she was overwhelmed. She also moves extremely slowly..... It took forever for her to come around with water and we watched our food sit on the sushi bar until she happened to see it and then bring it to our table.
Sushi chefs are nice guys. Really friendly and have some good skills.
My other beef was the fact they only allow one refill on Sodas. Who does that any more?
Are they scared I'm going to drink 3 or 4 refills and cost them an extra 25 cents? It pissed me off to have older server lady come around for the refill and say- "only one more refill ok?"........
Uh- no. It's not ok. I'm thirsty and trying to avoid alcohol- just give me another coke and charge me an extra 25 cents!!
Overall- food was ok. I'd stop by again if in the area and during HH. -
Review from Sara C.
Seattle, WA
11/3/2009
My team from work decided on Gamba's for our monthly lunch outing, and so we had a group of 10 invade around 11:30. We had a reservation given our size, but smaller groups probably don't need this.
It took a while for the server to get us water and finally take our order...and when our food arrived (almost 45 minutes later), they weren't sure who had ordered what. Thankfully, there was nothing left out or incorrect.
The food was good and the portions were enormous -- huuuuuge plates of sushi, rice and salad. As far as quality, I'd give it a solid Meh. I've had better sushi for sure, and the vegetarian on our team was sorely disappointed with the lack of non-meat options on the menu as well.
Jury is still out on whether or not I'll be back. Haven't been craving sushi much these days, but it's nice to know that I'll leave full from Gamba's. -
Review from Cherene R.
King, WA
8/29/2009
What a hole in the wall! And they have happy hour all day on Saturday?! Nigiri sushi was a buck a piece and some rolls (6-8 pcs) were $3-$3.50! I don't see what better deal you can find around the area of Belltown.
My boyfriend ordered today's special, which was a filet mignon with some mashed potatoes. He ordered it medium rare and got it medium rare! It had a great flavor and I was impressed for a dish that cost $20. I mean, before taking this risk, I only trusted steakhouses to make steaks as decent as this.
The reason why I knocked off a star was because service was a tad slow. I went through a glass of water and several cups of tea before our food finally arrived. The place wasn't crowded, so I didn't know if it was because of the steak or because they were trying to leave us in suspense and anticipation.
Gambas - don't be a tease next time! I already know I'll enjoy your food, so stop making me wait! -
Review from Kimberly S.
Seattle, WA
4/5/2011
They had consistent, predictable sushi for a very decent price. Some of the items are served by the piece and some are by the roll, so just pay attention to the menu. A large family party came on the night we came, and I think they were relatives of the servers or managers, because they received royal treatment. Other than it being a little odd being sat so close to the party, it was a good time.
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Review from Tammy W.
12/21/2009
Gambas has good sushi. It's not innovative. It's not flashy. But it is good. The decor is fine. It also is not innovative or flashy, but fine. They have many items under $10, the lunch options are good, and the portions are large.
My coworkers and I had lunch there today and we were quite happy with the meal. The escargot was very enjoyable. I had the Niku Maki lunch special - thinly sliced ribeye beef wrapped around asparagus, served with house salad, sautéed vegetables, rice, a spicy tuna roll, and miso soup. All for around $10.
I'll try the joint for happy hour and report back ($1 sushi??? Holy Cow), but until then - Gambas is a mighty fine lunch option in the Belltown area. -
Review from Chrissie C.
Seattle, WA
3/28/2011
In my search for a pre-show (Crocodile) happy hour, I came across this place and thought it was worth a shot. As my friend and I approached the door, I was overcome with an inexplicable feeling of dread. Perhaps it was the slightly ramshackle appearance? Not sure, but I definitely got the uh-oh feeling.
We walked into a totally empty place (well, aside from staff) and were seated immediately. The service was perfectly fine - the waitress was attentive without being overbearing, but she did seem strangely disappointed when we didn't order the tempura shrimp...I'm not sure I've ever gone anywhere where I placed my order, only to have the wait staff ask, "are you sure you didn't want _______?" Odd, but not offensive in any way.
The food arrived after not too long a wait and the presentation was nice. However, the taste was...meh. We shared a spicy tuna roll, a salmon roll, and a california roll, which was plenty of food for the two of us, but after eating I felt full, yet unsatisfied. I'd ordered what was meant to be a lemon drop made with sake (I believe it was called a sake drop?), and though the menu listed it as made with lemonade, rather than limoncello, I still foolishly ordered it and was sorely disappointed. It might have been palatable, yet tasted more like a beverage that had ice cubes melt in it - watered down and lackluster.
This was all topped off with developing some weird GI issues following our meal (an hour or two later). My dining companion didn't suffer these same "issues," despite eating the same food...perhaps it was dirty ice cubes in my pseudo lemon drop? I can't say with certainty I got sick from eating here, but I rarely have symptoms like that and I ate nothing else out of my usual diet that day, so...
Bah. Not a super fan and will likely never go back. -
Review from Anne B.
Seattle, WA
1/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
I was supposed to meet friends down the street for happy hour, but they were running late and I was hungry. I was in search of some cheap happy hour prices and something to hold me down while I waited for friends. I came across their sign saying "$1 sushi".. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect but decided I won't know if I don't try.
So, I guess it's a Japanese & French place, but I didn't notice anything French, but then I only looked at the happy hour menu.
As advertised, most sushi is $1 with the exception of maguro, sake, and a few others. THey have happy hour prices for some rolls, beer, and sake as well. Portions were small, but for $1 what do you expect. I would probably compare Gambas to Sushiland, but made fresh. Service was ok, a tad slow but I wasn't in any hurry.
I think I'd come back if I were in the area and looking for some cheap eats. -
Review from Tyler K.
Bothell, WA
3/6/2011
Ate here recently because my love interest at the time was in culinary school and she was into Japanese fusion cuisine. Gambas is a great example of Japanese fusion cuisine working very well. It is an excellent place to take a date. It's a small restaurant but its size and atmosphere add to its charm. The food itself was well prepared and flavorful. The price of the meal was rather inexpensive for its sophistication and portioning. The wine selection wasn't great but they covered the bases well. The overall service was good. Our meal came quite quickly and the waitress was quite attentive. Overall a great experience.
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Review from Jennifer K.
Lynnwood, WA
2/15/2011
we went there for valentines day 2011 and they had a very good special for the day..a salad, a mussle appetizer, a steak entree, a tilapia entree, dessert, and 2 glasses of champagne for $50. so the price was amazing...
the portions were good, the food was OK. everything was just a little bit too salty for my taste. -
Review from Janice H.
Seattle, WA
11/17/2010
I went to this restaurant for lunch with the co-workers. One of the co-workers had found this restaurant on yelp and thought we'd try it out since it was the only sushi place open around lunch time near our work. The restaurant looks really cute and fancy inside. The food on the menu looks great. They did not only have sushi but had a variety of other Japanese food from teriyaki to Udon. I had ordered the Seattle roll and when it came out the sushi were well presented and of course it tasted amazing. The sushi however did take awhile to come out. But overall the service wasn't too bad. If you're in bell town you should defiantly try out this place.
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Review from Trish G.
Los Angeles, CA
9/22/2009 1 photo
dont you wish yelp had "half" and "quarter" star ratings, like Star Search?
Gambas, i give you 3.5 stars, but am rounding up.
Found this place on a saturday night as i was walking toward the space needle. it had a sidewalk sign that said "STOP! $1 SUSHI".
so i stopped, even though i wasn't hungry and ordered "snack" sushi:
miso soup (was okay....and why did she give me a spoon?)
2 tekka maki
negihama
2 pcs of ebi (during HH, nigiri are 1 pc servings instead of 2)
friend had tempura appetizer, and 8oz of cold hakusturu sake (not the ginjo, the other, longer named one).
they used slices of tuna for the tekka, instead of the scraps. i appreciate. i think they were 2 or 3 bux per order.
definitely used scraps for the negihama...but i suppose that's what the green onions were made to offset, but for some reason was $4.25.
sushi rice was good on the nigiri and rolls. maybe too much rice and wasabi on the nigiri, but still good.
tempura looked good and crispy.
overall, i liked the presentation of the food; even though our orders weren't expensive, they were still visually pleasing. sake was brought out in a small glass wine decanter and bucket of ice.
also, my friend forgot his sunglasses at our table, and the employees were willing to wait after hours for him to retrieve them. good job! -
Review from Ian C.
Updated - 9/9/2010
We had gone here a few times, and it was ok - we felt like we got happy hour quality for the happy hour prices, but we went back last week, and the sushi was AWESOME! Not sure if the quality is trending up, down, or we just got it on a good night, but it was good enough I know we'll be back. All day happy hour on Satrudays!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/16/2009
Sushi. Happy hour, 4 drinks, a bunch of sushi, and a bill under $30 including a tip. Very happy,… Read more »
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Review from David P.
San Francisco, CA
4/2/2009
i'm struggling to understand where these 5-star ratings are coming from. there doesn't really seem to be anything french or japanese about the entrees on the menu. i tried four of the menu items:
sushi sandwich: three stars - cool presentation, tasted ok
pan seared halibut: one star - tasted like kinda dry chicken
pan seared salmon: two stars - tasted ok but not worth the price
beef steak teriyaki: three stars - tasted pretty good. salad was disappointing
so i guess if you must go there, i'd get the beef steak teriyaki. or maybe try the sushi menu items. but probably best to avoid it altogether. -
Review from Helen M.
Seattle, WA
6/11/2010
I really wanted to enjoy my experience at Gambas. I was extremely excited for it and my friends and I had been planning to come here for ages since I got a gift certificate from http://restaurant.com for here.
I was deeply disappointed.
My friends and I walked in and noticed we were the only ones there, which usually isn't a problem because we understand that the economy is horrible and people are being stingy. But we didn't get a very inviting feel when we walked in. We felt like we interrupted a conversation between the staff because we got a stare-down as soon as we entered. The ambiance itself, however, was very nice and the tables are pretty large so we didn't feel crowded or like we were bumping elbows. They also got points for having the Celtics/Lakers game on!
The food however was quite a bit bland. I've mentioned before that I'm a spicy tuna roll snob, and theirs just didn't make the cut. There wasn't any spiciness to it at all. It just tasted like it was regular tuna and avocado with under seasoned rice. I've honestly had better spicy tuna rolls at Sushiland. We also had:
-Regular Tuna Roll: the tuna didn't taste all that fresh, and neither did the rice
-Yellowtail Roll: Same thing, there wasn't that special kick that yellowtail has when it's really fresh.
-Salmon Roll: I didn't have any because I'm not a salmon fan but my friend also didn't enjoy it very much and he said it was chewy.
-Spider Roll: it was ok, the flavors didn't blend all that well but the crab was nicely seasoned.
-Una Cu Roll: I also didn't have this but my friend said it was bland as well.
-Fried Calamari: I like that they had large rings and the full tentacle bunches fried instead of just little strips on tentacle. It absolutely NEEDS the sweet soy sauce that comes with it to taste good though.
-Clam Miso Soup: I think this was the only thing I fully enjoyed because it had fresh clam with the shell in the miso soup and it was a very large bowl.
-Kahlua Creme Brule: My friend said it was lukewarm and the top was barely toasted. It tasted of enough Kahlua though.
Aside from the food being poor, I also found it a bit off putting that they didn't pour water automatically when we sat down and my friends had to order water to get it. I didn't order water (just tea) and my glass was never filled, even though it was set. I did however get enough tea, so bonus points for that.
I think the last kicker of the night was that at the end, when we got our bill they did the 18% auto gratuity after tax instead of before tax like they were supposed to. I've worked in the industry for the last 4 years, so I know that they weren't supposed to do that.
I really wanted to try more of the french food, but I honestly don't think I'll be coming back. Not even for happy hour.
