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Category: Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: University District
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This is one of my favorite teriyaki on the ave.
The combo plates chicken/beef is a good deal at $6.00.
Yakisoba is greasy. Great for after drinking.
The servings are large and is good for two meals.
You order at the counter and they bring your plate to your table.
This place is never crowded. It's a hole in the wall but worth the trip.
If your in the area and need a good deal. This is a place to try.
After reading some of the reviews here, I was prepared to be blown away. Instead, I felt swayed to one side, as though by a gusty wind.
The service was fast and friendly. The restaurant is clean. The chicken teriyaki was...decent. My beef with their chicken (?) lies in the sauce. A teriyaki shop's sauce is its heart and soul - and Nasai's soul is thick and shiny. Teriyaki sauce should be thin, sweet, and flavorful. Nasai's was the consistency of BBQ sauce. The salad was great, and Nasai gets bonus points for serving a delicious sprouted brown rice. But...I'm sorry, I can't get past my chicken being slathered in what looked like KC Masterpiece.
I'll eat here again for the brown rice, if nothing else. But for me, Nasai doesn't enter the hallowed halls of great teriyaki shops.
I've been coming here for almost 10 years and have concluded that Nasai still has some of the best teriyaki in Seattle. The chicken, beef and pork always have a lot of flavor and aren't dried out (which is the number one problem with teriyaki joints in the area).
Go for the chicken and beef or pork combo, and you'll be good to go. There's semi-table service, meaning that you'll place you're order at the counter and they'll bring it out to you and bus your table. Leave a tip if you're feeling generous.
The overall decor and lighting is dim, and I decided that eating inside is not appropriate on nice days. So take your teriyaki to go when the sun is shining, and you'll be a happy camper.
Even after 10 years, this is still my favorite restaurant on the Ave and pretty much what I compare all teriyaki places to. I always get the 'nasai special' which is chicken teryiaki, gyoza, salad, and drink for about 6 or 7 dollars. I've honestly never ordered anything else. I'm sad that they stopped putting up so many local event posters and put up random license plates instead, but its not a big deal. On a rainy cold day, this teryiyaki, and the soft radio they play, will warm you up!
Awww man, I remember when their lunch special was under $5. Now it's $6something..but it still tastes and looks the way I remember. What is in that salad dressing, seriously? The salad is plain iceberg with this dressing..and it's just really good. The rice is sticky/fresh. The gyozas are just-fried and crisp, the chicken teriyaki is tender with just the right amount of sauce.
The veggie yakisoba is HUGE, enough to feed two people. It would be nice if it also came with some rice and salad.
I decided to opt out of the soda in their trademark combo but it was only a 40c savings..you might as well get the can and save it for later since everywhere else a can goes for 75c-$1.
You order at the counter, take your number w/ you and they come out with your food within a few moments. Then you nom nom nom and bus your table on the way out.
I only go here once in a while, it's a bit far for me to venture out during my lunch break!
Teriyaki places in Seattle are like dry cleaners: unless you've had some horrible experience there, you just go to the closest one. That being said, there is still the question of where to go when you are on the Ave craving teriyaki and are faced with multiple acceptable options at once. The best places have something special to offer: Tokyo Garden is most inexpensive, Kyoto Garden is the tastiest, and University Teryiaki is the most brutally efficient. Thanks to a new face lift and some menu changes, Nasai Teriyaki is now also part of my "best places to get teryiaki in the U-district" list.
I was initially compelled to give Nasai another try by the change in decor - a new much more pleasant paint job, cleaner floors, and a spiffier logo. Some more changes: a pared-down menu, nicer plates, and a new daily specials menu which is both especially tasty (see curry chicken Mondays and Bulgogi Wednesdays) and priced low enough to compete with even the suspiciously cheap Tokyo Garden. As a plus, the service is still quick, and the hot tea is still free.
Nasai Teryiaki, we will be seeing more of each other.
I eat a lot of lunches on the Ave, and an embarrassing fraction of those lunches are teriyaki. Yet, somehow, I never got around to trying this place until today. Nasai has a small, inconspicuous storefront, tucked away between two small, inconspicuous shops selling artsy things.
I think it was the daily specials board that finally got me to stop by. Today's special was the 'hot chicken', but I ended up getting the spicy chicken instead. Yep, they were two different dishes. I didn't really have a preference, though. Do I prefer hot food or spicy food? Hell if I know.
I went in at probably the quietest time of the day -- all the late lunchers had left, and the early diners weren't there yet. I walked through an abandoned corridor lined with abandoned tables, and found an abandoned register around the corner. (Yes, the abandoned corner.) It would have been creepy in an I-Am-Legendish way if it weren't for the loud Beatles music playing. (One can't be creeped out while listening to 'Paperback Writer'. Try it.)
I rang the bell and placed my takeout order, and took a seat. It was a surprisingly roomy place, given the small storefront. The whole restaurant was basically one wide corridor going all the way through the building, opening into the alley behind. Most other restaurants on the Ave would have tried to fit twice as many chairs into the same amount of space.
The food arrived pretty quickly. It wasn't quite the usual spicy teriyaki chicken; it was a little more tender, and served in sauce, as if it had been braised rather than grilled. It was good; slightly Chinese-tasting. Came with the standard piles of rice and iceburg lettuce.
In addition to the usual teriyaki options, Nasai has a small Mandarin section (kung pao etc.), yakisoba, and fried rice.
I have been going to this place since I was a student at UW. For years I was a half chicken/half beef Teriyaki order. Then I went to all beef for a while. Man that is some good Teriyaki sauce. And the oval of rice with the sauce over it on a raining Seattle day lifts my spirits. Recently I have been getting into the yakisoba. I am addicted to it right now (probably eat it once a week). I would probably eat it everyday if the chicken quality was better. And I have to turn a blind eye to the cleanliness of the place which is not good. They have remodeled it a bit, but I always leave feeling sticky.
I am not sure why I am drawn to neon Teriyaki signs like a moth to a flame. Maybe it is because I always loved going to my neighborhood bodega in New York. Maybe it is because they seem to be all over the University District and the quickest lunch. Regardless of the reason, Nasai on the Ave. serves up some delicious teriyaki and the best chicken yakisoba in the U-District.
It is a strange restaurant set-up because when you walk through the front door you don't see the cash register or any staff. They are tucked around the corner of a long narrow hallway/dining room. It took me a second to figure out what was going on. But once I discovered where to order, all my lunchtime chicken yakisoba dreams came true.
The prices are very competitive and the portions are large. If you are on the Ave and looking for a quick lunch or take-out, Nasai will hit the spot.
What it takes to be a successful restaurant on the Ave:
Step 1. Have large portions
Step 2. Have low prices
Step 3. ???
Step 4. Profit
Nasai is successful, because it's been around as long as I can remember. It's a hole in the wall, the whole of which is a hall -- yes, keep walking, you'll get to the register eventually.
Even "for here" orders are served in "to go" boxes -- they're biodegradable, too! And that's perfect, because you will need one -- the portions are huge! I also love the fact that they have sprouted brown rice for a small additional fee.
When my friends and I aren't too lazy to go to the extra block and a half past UT for our cheap teriyaki fix... Nasai's where it's at!
Nasai is my favorite teriyaki join on the Ave. I dig their teriyaki sauce because it's not too sweet, and you can get brown rice if you want. Plus, the salad dressing is soo good!
My boyfriend loves it for the chicken yakisoba, which is quite good too. I'm also a fan of the fried rice. Yes, they use a frozen veggie mix, but that's a good way to make sure all the veggies are the same size and will cook evenly. That's how I roll, anyway.
I tried their curry the last time I was there, and it was good but not great.
But the main reason for my review is to let everyone know they've updated their decor a bit. Much cleaner, a couple of mini flat screen TVs. Still haven't tried out the bathroom since the clean up. Anyone here brave enough to give us a report?
I can safely say that this is the best Teriyaki on the ave. I know, there are tons of them and compared to them, that's why this gets four stars instead of five. Yes, I do have to complain about them listening to Warm 106.9 all the darn time. And the posters all over the wall, it's ok to change them, or put them up in moderation so that we can remember what wall looks like. And it's ok to empty the trash too. But still, I have to give it up for the fast service, and tasty sauce on the salad. Plus, of all the Teriyaki joints in Seattle, this has the most seating by far.
Now, with all the used stores and teriyaki places on the ave... When will we see a used teriyaki place?
Mediocre college food at its best! Ah yes, I still recall the first time I entered the narrow dining room with the cash register near the trash and bathroom. The sickening sweet smell of American-style teriyaki wafting the air somehow suited the always-sticky-with-some-substance-that-won't-wipe- off tables. The price, ambiance and food is perfectly suited for the "Ave".
If you can't decide on a menu item, go for the special. It's always available contrary to its name and is so Nasai. (Don't forget the Sriracha sauce!)
The atmosphere is so horrendous and smelly I find it kitchy.
It's a quirky little joint, Nasai Teriyaki, and it's well worth going. Excellent for take out, because you don't have to listen to 'Delilah' on Warm 106.9 while you eat and start at the stains in the carpet.
I find though, that's it's kind of fun to eat in this place. The sauce on their teriyaki is to die for. And he portions are gigantic. You could have two meals with amount they give you.
For my ill-gotten money, the best teriyaki joint on the Ave. Most folks will point you to Tokyo Garden, where they will give you ginormous portions of okay teriyaki. Nasai gives you a *slightly* smaller portion that is about 10x better in taste. I can eat about half of Tokyo Garden's offering, but will devour Nasai's down to the last morsel of rice. The dark sauce is out-of-this-world (literally, it's alien complexion and mysterious sweet-tanginess can't be derived from any Earthly ingredients). Last I went, basic teriyaki cost 4.95 plus tax. Now that I live in San Francisco, that price seems even more otherworldly.
Nasai for life.
In a U-District landscape that's absolutely filled to the brim with teriyaki places, Nasai still stands out as a college student favorite. While other nearby locales may offer fancier selections or tastier arrangements, Nasai Teriyaki leverages its key strengths: fast, good, and cheap.
And by fast, I mean fast. You order a chicken teriyaki to go, they give you one of those quaint plastic red number things. You turn around, spot an open table, and make your way to sit down. By the time you take off your bag and plop it down the server is bringing your chicken to you.
Student dive? Perhaps. All I know is that I still have hankerings for the Nasai special on some chilly Seattle nights long after I've graduated and moved out of the U-District.
Delicious! This is one of my favorite places to eat on the Ave. Great portions and delicious food. Five bucks and some change gets you the best terriaki chicken ever.
You can sit in and stare at all the movie posters or take it to go. Either way it'll come out of the kitchen faster than you can grab your utensils!
My only beef with them is that they changed owners since I was a kid (yes, I've been eating there that long) so the taste and portions are slightly different. They use a different salad dressing and the terriaki sauce is slightly sweeter/BBQ tasting but I still think it's teh awesome, yo.
Teriyaki is Japanese, not Chinese. But all the food here tastes Chinese to me. The fried rice had no oyster sauce/soy sauce flavoring, but a heaping of pepper on it and the kind of canned vegetables that you find in Cup-O-Noodle. The chowmein was decent, but very VERY oily, borderline greasy and the vegetables were cut so big they weren't well cooked. Gyoza was overcooked--probably fried instead of steamed/sauteed. NO vegetarian/fish options except the starch-canned veggie combo I mentioned. I must say, I felt let down especially considering the ratings on here.
I used to come here often, but haven't been here in awhile. I was in the neighborhood, decided to have my usual beef teriyaki to go, but when I got it, was suprised to see they put the beef in the salad container, while the main container had the rice and salad!!?? What the??? The portion still seemed the same, but I prefer the beef already next to the ice. Odd. BTW, the beef was kinda burned. Are they under new management? Still cheap price though.
Thursday's hot chicken special is one of my favorites. One of the best deals in the university district.
Best chicken teriyaki on the ave, less then 6 bucks.
I can't get enough of this place. I've loved it more than life itself since I was 17. Their "daily special" is always the same (chicken teryaki and 4 gyozas) and it's always f-ing delicious. Always. And they're quick on the draw with getting your food to you.
I really like their Teriyaki. The place is kinda small and a little on the dingy side but the good food and cheap chicken and gyoza special makes up for it.
Ugh! How I wish I lived back in the U District for this. Seriously, I drove from Downtown back here for to go lunch one day. It is THAT good! (the Spicy Chicken is all I've ever had)
I'm sorry, but cool movie posters can't cover up shoddy carpet, dirty tables, and corny Christian music. Maybe the food could make up for it, but it doesn't. The gyoza tastes like it came out of the microwave, and the salad is iceburg lettuce and nothing more. I did feel the chicken was above average, but with Best of Bento and Tokyo Garden only a few steps away, I just don't see why you'd go here.
For me, this is the benchmark for what chicken teriyaki should taste like. Yes, the decor is a bit run down, but this is a place you go for the food, not the decor. If you want great (and quick!) chicken teriyaki, look no further. There are a few other Nasai teriyaki's in Seattle, but this is the first and best in my opinion.
Whenever I go out to eat teriyaki, I would always save half of it and eat it later since most places serve large portions. When I ordered the spicy chicken here, there wasn't that much meat. UT usually serves twice as much meat for their teriyaki for about the same price. The chicken tasted like it was drenched in this spicy sauce that had a tangy flavor, kind of reminded me of buffalo wings. Weird. They also serve the food on styrofoam plates, which is not very environmentally friendly. The food wasn't too terrible, but I think I'll just stick with UT.
Yummy. That's all I have to say.
Good teriyaki. Pretty quick and fine prices.
They have a sign up in Nasai saying that they've been open for over 10 years which is true because I've been going there for that long, but the menu is different than it used to be. There are a lot more Chinese-style dishes on the menu now. That being said, the person who thought of the "M3" dish is my new hero. It's a spicy chicken and veggie stir fry with GYOZA in it. YUM!!! Yes, it's wrong in so many ways, but gyoza is good and stir fry is good so let's break the rules and put 'em together. I saw on other reviews that people think the place is dingy. Eh - it doesn't seem any worse to me than 99% of the other places on the Ave. That being said, I usually get takeout.
Yes, this is the best teriyaki on the Ave. I have tried all of them, and for me they win. Plus, they are really, really fast and the gyoza are nice. They always have an inexpensive special of chicken teriyaki and gyoza. But, I wish they wouldn't use styrofoam packaging, even for eating in. It is really environmentally irresponsible, or I would have given them five starts.
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