- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
New Zen Japanese Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Japanese Restaurants Sushi Bars Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
10720 SE Carr RdRenton, WA 98055
(425) 254-1599
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2 pm
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Sat 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
33 reviews for New Zen Japanese Restaurant
Review Highlights
"This is a nice gem on Benson Hill."
(in 3 reviews)
"We've been fans for last six years."
(in 3 reviews)
"The ramen is served in a light, flavorful broth."
(in 7 reviews)
Loading...
33 reviews in English
-
Review from Jens J.
12/1/2011
I happened to be up on Benson Hill around lunch time so I thought I'd check out New Zen. I was here once with a couple coworkers for lunch well over ten years ago, but other than the name being the same, New Zen was unrecognizable from my previous visit. Inside, there is now a sushi bar along with several tables. The interior has a cozy feel. I loved the evergreen textured walls.
Service was attentive, warm and friendly from start to finish - and it was the service that propelled this review to five stars.
I ordered $8.95 Bento lunch special. They gave me a checklist where I marked the boxes for options I wanted for my Bento Box. I went with the "minced meat" katsu, mashed potato croquette and squid salad. I could have selected chicken, beef, salmon or even tuna teriyaki.
After I placed my order, my server brought me a bowl of "soup noodle", which was like a miso soup with thin noodles and finely sliced scallion. Very good.
Everything in my bento box was delicious. The sausage-like katsu was good to start with, but really came to life with the application of a bit of soy sauce. I also enjoyed the potato croquette and fresh squid salad. I especially loved the side of rice. It wasn't just rice but was adorned with tempura flakes and and a little sweet soy sauce. Delicious!
Definitely one of the better Japanese restaurants in Renton.Listed in: SeaTown
-
Review from Emmalee S.
Renton, WA
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Getting teriyaki at 9pm shouldn't be too difficult..... key word being "shouldn't"....but when my tummy decided that's what it wanted, man, was it pain. I called 3 other places, all of them closing at 9. Then, my handy little Yelp app. showed me New Zen. I thought " What the heck. I'll give it one more shot". Jackpot. They were open til 9:30. My order was simple: 2 beef and chicken teriyaki to go. They told me it would be ready in 10 mins.
This Place is super cute place. It's tucked away in a little strip mall on the corner of 108th and Carr. I don't think I would have even realized it was there if it hadn't been for Yelp.I opened the front door and was overwhelmed by the smell of food. Even with a stuffy nose my mouth started to water. I am assuming it is a family owned place because a sweet older couple was working that night. They were both very friendly and welcoming. The man behind the glass window was rolling sushi. I sat in front of him and watched. He told me the story of how the California Roll was invented.
Now, the portions where pretty small for the price I paid... $40 for the 2 meals... but it tasted great. The sauce was not too sweet and not too mild. The beef was a little under cooked for my liking but the chicken was delicious. Next time I go tho, I think I'm going to try the sushi. -
Review from Danielp S.
Renton, WA
12/16/2011
Decent ambience, especially for a strip mall. Friendly staff. Not cheap. Not expensive.
Sushi quality: Fine as a fallback: about on par with I Love Sushi's cheaper offerings, but with considerably larger cuts of fish. I will come here when I don't want to go further afield for sushi. You can get better sushi for the price, but not anywhere nearby that I know of. -
Review from Ken L.
My hope for great ramen and sushi in proximity to my residence pushed me to New Zen. Unfortunately, said trial did not meet expectations. The noodle bowl contained three slices of brisket-like pork, a precooked brown(?) egg and a couple of other smaller items not worth mentioning. The summary take on this soup - priced higher at $10, about a 15 min wait to cook and nothing special. The sushi rice was not moist, on the verge of dry. On the plus side, the friendly folks served with a mission of ensuring satisfaction.
-
Review from Marla E.
Fairwood, WA
1/3/2012
what a pleasant surprise. i've driven by here almost daily for the last 3 years and never tried it. i had a hankering for sushi & decided not to drive to the highlands, so i came here instead. i'm SO glad i did! the sushi chef tues-fri is an english-speaking hispanic dude who is very friendly & has been around sushi bars for quite some time - the good and the bad. he is more than happy to make something that's not on the menu and told me that he has an arsenal of vegetarian sushi - i just have to ask. i'm excited to bring the hubby here with me to try that out. i had miso soup and some basic veggie rolls that were very fresh. the service is very friendly. for the gluten-free set: they don't have tamari, so bring your own.
-
Review from Scott Y.
Maple Valley, WA
11/27/2011
Best REAL Japanese food in the area.
-
Review from Jon D.
6/7/2011
A little lacking in posh, but makes it well in the flavor marks. This strip mall sushi joint makes quite the impression of being a strip mall sushi joint upon walking in, but the quaint plastic cafe tables don't necessarily make food taste worse.
And in fact, the waitress in the kimono comes over to greet us as we sit anywhere we like, so she says. We get started some sushi, tempura, and rolls, while she soon comes back out with miso soup. Miso soup, difficult to do wrong, tasted fine.
Tempura came out next, and while I am usually pensive about bad, greasy tempura, this actually came out crispy and moist inside. The vegetables still tasted fresh, and the shrimp came out perfectly done, so my surprise.
Chirashi bowl was full of goodies, of course. The fish clearly was of good quality, taken from the good cuts of meat, and not the odd sinewy edges that sometimes happens in bad sushi places. Thoroughly enjoyed. The special roll we ordered, I don't really remember the name... it was something Japanese-named. And it was tasty enough.
Cost, a bit on the high end for a place like this, I thought. But overall, I suppose on the lower end of Japanese cuisine prices in the area.
I enjoyed it. -
Review from Dave N.
Beaverton, OR
3/21/2011
Unfortunately, the sushi was good...
My wife and I come to the Seattle area at least once a year, usually for a family vacation. This trip was no different. We usually stay in the Renton area and use Yelp to help us find places to eat.
Wanting to see how fresh Seattle fish is compared to Hawaii, we searched Yelp to find some sushi. We were very anxious to try New Zen since it had four stars after 19 reviews.
We stopped by on a Monday night. The restaurant was very slow with only one other couple dining. We were greeted by a friendly waitress and seated immediately (as one would expect in an empty restaurant).
The waitress promptly took our order and our food soon arrived. My wife ordered several nigiri sushi and I ordered a combo meal (salmon and tempura) & two nigiri. One of the nigiri my wife ordered was amaebi. The waitress brought our nigiri sushi along with my miso soup and a small salad. This was the beginning of our problems.
The waitress brought ebi nigiri, not amaebi. We could have easily over looked this mistake, until she brought my teriyaki chicken & tempura. If you remember what I said I ordered earlier in my review, teriyaki chicken isn't going to satisfy my craving for the salmon I expected.
Had the waitress not been talking so much with the sushi chef and cook, we could have gotten her attention to correct her mistakes. My wife opted not to eat her ebi so she could have the waitress bring amaebi. I on the other hand ended up eating the teriyaki chicken since I didn't know when our waitress would return.
After my wife finished all but her ebi nigiri, the waitress came by to check on us. We pointed out the error with the amaebi and the waitress said she only heard "ebi". Both my wife and I know amaebi was ordered. The amaebi quickly arrived and the waitress said she would not charge us for the ebi. Of course my wife and I both thought she better not charge us since we didn't order it.
At this point the waitress realized I ordered salmon and offered to take the chicken and correct her mistake. I declined her offer and finished the chicken.
By now our optimistic attitudes changed and we began noticing how much time the waitress was spending socializing with her coworkers at the expense of providing any reasonable level of service.
Upon finishing our meals, I asked if my combo meal came with a dessert. I was told, "Not today." Did I pick the wrong night to order a combo meal? Definitely a strange response as I did not see desserts being offered only on certain days of the week.
Before I close with yet another mistake, I want to mention the quality of the sushi was pretty good. The hamachi I ordered was okay, but the salmon (sake) was very good. My wife mentions she would give the sushi three stars.
And finally... The waitress added our tab wrong. I don't normally check the addition of our bill, but our it seemed to be unusually high - and it was.
I doubt we'll go back to New Zen again, but if we lived here in Renton, we might give it another chance. With the 18 other four and five star ratings, we may have just picked a bad night. Or perhaps the waitress we had is new or doesn't usually wait tables.
[4/10/2011 - Follow up]
Since writing my review, I was contacted (via Yelp) by the owner who both apologized for the poor service received and said she spoke to the waitress. As mentioned, perhaps we just picked a bad night... -
Review from Mark M.
Puyallup, WA
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Want a real piece of Japan? The stop by New Zen Japanese to treat you taste buds and wet you whistle today! A++ Awesome Food!
-
Review from Judy K.
Bellevue, WA
5/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
The location is at a random strip mall location. If it wasn't for Yelp, I would never stop by here.
The sushi rolls here are pretty good. But for the price I paid, I think I would rather go to a different joint. I recommend their roll "Monkey Brains"; it doesn't look very appetizing, but if you order something that is named brains, you really can't be picky about the presentation.
Pretty tasty, but didn't WOW me. -
Review from Rachel R.
Seattle, WA
4/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Talk about a gem.
I was invited by a friend to New Zen for a premium sake tasting. Primarily, I went to go see a good friend of mine. As far as outward appearance, I was not expecting much given that this place is nestled in a dated, eighties-looking, plaza. I was expecting the generic teriyaki-sushi hybrid restaurant with fluorescent lighting and a stand-up cooler of soda. You know, like 'Toshi's' or something.
New Zen was charmingly decorated. High ceilings with the sushi chef taking up a good chunk of a corner, like a stage. The menu was extensive and they even offer a menu in 'manga'! The sushi offerings were creative and I have a feeling that the Japanese food here is more authentic than most places. The agedeshi tofu and the calamari was delicious. The sushi was fresh and well made.
I do not know how often they do the premium sake tastings, but I would suggest checking it out next time they do have one. Basically, the Japanese sake and beer distributor comes by and offers generous samples to patrons in hopes to sway the restaurant to place a giant order. Generous samples. -
Review from Ampere v.
Seattle, WA
9/17/2011
Almost perfect. This is precisely the polar opposite of what one expects from strip mall restaurants.
Friendly, encouraging hostess with amazing service and outstanding food. Best sushi rolls I've had in ages. Homemade ramen soup. Yosenabe with homemade udon.
They also have a "manga" menu. I have no idea what's on it, but considering the caterpillar roll was made to look like an anime caterpillar, I suspect a healthy mix of "twee" and "tasty".
So close to perfect that if something was missing, I can't think of it. -
Review from Jeff L.
Woodinville, WA
Updated - 9/29/2010
The omakase.... 20 bucks. You definitely get 20 bucks worth of good sushi. If you're ever at IKEA, skip the Swedish Meatballs and give the Omakase a try. (yes, I told you to skip the Swedish meatballs... *runs for cover*)
The ramen is about 9 or so dollars and is also yummy with good portion size.Listed in: My Neighborhood
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/3/2007
From what I remember, the food wasn't all that memorable. It was OK for Renton but you'd really… Read more »
-
-
Review from Stuart A.
Cary, NC
7/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'm always comforted by a restaurant where I can order in Japanese, and the waitress doesn't bat an eye. Maybe it's because this is in Seattle, where there's a higher statistical likelihood that blond white guys might have some facility with the language. At any rate, it was comforting not to be regarded as an anomaly.
This is a shitamachi kinda place. I went in craving something fried, and left with my belly fully of chicken katsu curry and emerald-green tea. I'd give it more stars, but we went there seeking the ramen it was supposedly known for in a magazine advertisement. As it turns out, they only had one type of ramen, and it was kinda no-frills. Whatever. All the other food was good.
I can't imagine any reason to go to Renton unless I'm making an Ikea run for cheap lingonberry jam, so I'm not sure I'd make the trip all the way back out here just for the food. But hell, people. If you want the best Japanese food, you're gonna have to go to Vancouver. -
Review from K H.
Seattle, WA
Traditional Japanese-American fare served by Japanese-Americans to Japanese-Americans.
The menu was longer than normal, which I appreciated. The ramen was above average. The sushi was pretty good.
Might I drive all the way to Renton again? Not sure. But if I'm in the area, New Zen will be on my short list. -
Review from Daren D.
5/9/2010 5 photos
This is a nice gem on Benson Hill. Coming from central Renton, it's easier to take Benson Dr as opposed to Hwy 167. A nice hole in the strip mall type place. And the New Zen neon sign seems to have a cool 80's/early 90's flair to it. Kewl. I think this is a Japanese ma' & pa' place, and even has a great website, too.
I'm immediately greeted by a lady in a kimono, who turns out to be Yumiko (co-owner?). It was quiet and slow that evening. Feel free to sit where ever you like; just settled by the wall at center. She was sufficiently patient with me as I perused the great menu. (thx!) Also came with a paper if you chose to select from 2 combo specials stand-alone, or in addition to whatever else you wanted (since i mentioned to her i was thinking about trying Natto for first time, she said i could try a Natto roll... cool). So I also got a Natto roll. My special (see pic) was good and had freshness to it. Mmmmmmm-Mm. Also, the fish slices were well cut and towered over their rice beds.... speaking of fish nigiri, I could totally devour a trayfull of salmon/tuna nigiri. -Right. --Now!
Yumiko was really kind and pleasant. When brought my miso soup, she offered spoon or *motioning hands* japanese style? JPN style, yo. ^^ Some things I regret not trying, as I'm pretty sure I had some room left, was perhaps the Lychee sorbet or Ginger ice cream (I swear I noticed them checked off on the table triangle thingy). All was flushed down with an iced tea. One minor thing i noticed was previous reviewer Uhura mentioned a hot towel, but didn't have one; unless they're at the bar.
You know you want to try them out. Hop to it, yo. ^_^ I'd like to come back and try their katsu curry & katsu don.
**6/2010**: Went back and tried the straight up Natto... yeah, it's like online stuff says, strong, pungent, and an acquired taste by those who like it. I had to mix in some brown rice to finish it. :) -
Review from Kendrick R.
Seattle, WA
6/18/2010
For a Japanese restaurant, the portions are generous than most. It's also a dollar more. However, the food was exquisite enough to warrant a review as well as continued patronage. I've had a few lunches here lately and the menu consists of some specialized fare (sushi, fresh ramen) to the "low brow" cuisine (teriyaki).
The ramen is served in a light, flavorful broth. It's fresh, light and huge enough for a truck driver. the sushi and the teriyaki are prepared with care and it shows. It's too bad they're not located in Seattle. But I suppose a field trip in the light industrial wonderland known as Renton is educational, eye-opening and downright...oh, i can't do it. it's RENTON. this food here is worth the drive though. -
Review from S Y.
Kent, WA
5/21/2010
Living in Kent means our dining options aren't nearly as diverse as Seattle so New Zen was a wonderful find. We've been going there for several years for lunch and dinner, sometimes on special occasions.
The service is pleasant and quick and the food is mostly excellent, especially the sushi and katsu.
The clientele is varied and seems to range from locals, Japanese, and Japanese aficionados. The food has been consistent although there were a few hiccups regarding some dishes. Of course, ours were fine but my friend's chicken teriyaki (she has food allergies) was disapointing but that was also nearly two years ago. The chicken was not served hot and seemed to have been overcooked at medium heat so the meat was almost mealy. Could have been an older batch of marinated meat as well.
My husband and I usually order sushi, katsu and occasionally udon. The portions are comparable to Seattle restaurants but the cost is less. We've ordered the Omakase several times and for $20 it's a steal. Granted, it won't be as fancy as most Seattle restaurants, but the fish is fresh and portions generous. -
Review from Alvin N.
2/26/2008
This is the only Japanese Restaurant in Renton that serves Sushi & other various yummy goods. Located by the Gold's Gym on Benson Hill. Our server was really nice, the Sushi Chef presented his craft well.
Theres no competition around so the prices are above average, for dinner for 2 it was about $55 total. I will definitely come back though =) The Toro Nigiri & Rainbow Roll I had was really good =P -
Review from Leilani M.
Renton, WA
10/24/2011
My friends and I came here for lunch recently and were very impressed! The lunch menu was reasonably priced, and the sushi was excellent! We would have never guessed it was good sushi by the exterior, but don't judge a book by its cover. We will definitely be back.
-
Review from Uhura J.
6/7/2009
Located on Benson Hill, it's technically Renton, 5 minutes from Tukwila and about 15 from Kent. South 167 towards Ikea takes you to the right area, just take a left off the ramp, and your next left up the hill towards the hospital. New Zen is at the top of the hill, in a shopping plaza on the left with Benders bar, an independent gym, and an acupuncture place.
Good miso. Hot towel presentation. Quiet, low-key, welcoming atmosphere.
Nigiri was simple, with fresh, large pieces of delicious fish. I had the salmon, hamachi, creamy scallop, and copper river salmon.
I only had one roll, the spider. Wasn't jazzed about the sharp, sour asparagus taste and I could barely find any crab - unacceptable for $9. Pricing was above average, but definitely the freshest fish and most generous portion sizes I've had so far. Can't wait to try out the rest of the menu.
Staff was friendly and nice; maybe I'll start making special requests here to see how they handle it. =) Also met quite a few regulars who seemed very much at home and welcomed me as a newbie. -
Review from Dan C.
Grayslake, IL
3/26/2011
I can tell a good Japanese restaurant by the Uni- excellent!
-
Review from Michael L.
Renton, WA
12/29/2010
It's a pretty good hidden gem in the area. Only the best, friendliest service here. The food is also very good. But it's also fairly pricey in my opinion. I know sushi can be expensive, but it just seemed a little pricier than I would want to pay for the food. Don't get me wrong, it's good food, just fell slightly short of a 5 star rating.
-
Review from Kimberly F.
Renton, WA
3/4/2008
My husband, best friend, and I went here to celebrate my husbands birthday on Saturday night. The waitress was great, but our table was dirty and we had to ask her to wipe it off. My husband and bf ordered a ton of sushi, however my stomach can't handle it so I got the kashi chicken and tempura. The tempura was served to me cold (uhh what? yah. cold.) My husband and bf said the sushi was good, but not enough that they would spend that much again on it..
I'm giving two stars.. I wasn't impressed :( -
Review from Shelly B.
Seattle, WA
Awesome! Spicy tuna roll - the best. Fish is fresh!
-
Review from Sheri D.
Renton, WA
3/5/2011
We've been fans for last six years! Great service and sushi. We get take out - but even though we only go every few months.... Hostess sees us we order and she brings us a glass of wine! Amazing. Won't sushi...the dragon roll is always the highlight!
-
Review from Christina N.
Seattle, WA
7/24/2011
There were 2 other couples in the restaurant and everyone looked relatively happy. It makes this a hard review to place because I didn;t like it and more than likely won't be back. We're new to Renton so we were in search of a good teriyaki place. It looked reasonable enough so we ordered to go. The teriyaki was average, small in portion and twice the price. ($16.95 for what is normally a single portion; but I also think the bill is $2 higher than was on the menu. That still makes it $14.95 for a single teriyaki dish.) Anyways, the extra star was for the polite service; but, I won't be back. Too pricey for average teriyaki at best.
-
Review from ALLEN U.
Seattle, WA
7/22/2011
most Japanese restaurants do some things great and some things ok-- it is hard to be everything for everyone--this is a Japanese home style restaurant--soba / udon noodles cold or hot --broiled saba and black cod all execellent --tempura is great too--not too greasy--however the sushi is somewhat spoty--some good ( maguro /unagi salmon)and some not so good (saba/ shrimp) weekends probably better--this is kinda a hole in the wall restaurant located in a strip mall ( not too fancy) a little expensive however great taste just like Japan for most of the sauces and miso soup--
-
Review from Pattra A.
Seattle, WA
8/10/2010
Hmmm.. We've been going to New Zen for so long that I cannot remember (probably about 10 years or so).
My favorite dishes .. there're so many, let's see.
* Monkey Brain (not really Monkey Brain but I just love the name)
* Shuimai Appertizer
* Katsu Curry (extra spicy)
* (Need to save space for desert) Tempura Ice Cream
* Ramen
* Okonomiyaki (when available)
* Nabeyaki Udon
* Chawanmushi (Japanese Egg Custard)
*** .. just about everything .. but I just cannot eat everything, (no matter how hard I tried) -
Review from Jennifer K.
Seattle, WA
1/7/2008
My husband and I used to have lunch together at Zen's on a near-weekly basis (we both worked near the restaurant at the time;) we still grab a meal there occasionally and I'm still a big fan of their sushi combo lunch special. While their teriyaki and other such dishes are average, you really won't find a better sushi restaurant south of Seattle. The sushi at Zen's is always extremely fresh and excellently prepared - I have yet to be disappointed. Also, the waitstaff is always attentive and very personable.
-
Review from BettyNEithon T.
Renton, WA
8/8/2007 1 photo
This is a fairly undiscovered Japanese restaurant on the South end. From what I've been able to discern so far, most of the clientele is Japanese-speaking Japanese, which, for a Japanese restaurant, is usually a good sign.
Our first time here, we came because we were hungry for some Japanese and in the area. Our first impression was that both the outside, and the inside, of the restaurant is fairly unremarkable. We also found it to be pretty expensive, an observation that was in dissonance with the rather bland surroundings.
Our chef was an elderly gentleman who clearly knew his sushi, and it showed. All the various sushi pieces we ordered were of high-quality, and well prepared, and in very appealing presentations. Second time around was no different, and it seems clear that this is a good place for consistent and delicious sushi -- a rare find in south King county.
It is a little expensive (expect to pay around $20 per person for a full meal), but still cheaper than most downtown Seattle sushi joints without sacrificing quality. Overall, a great find.
CONTEXT
Date: February, March 2007
Time: 7pm, Dinner
No reservations, seated for 3 at a table, 2 at the sushi bar -
Review from george s.
Renton, WA
3/30/2008
Sushi actually really good.
Stay away from noodle soup (soba - udon).
Tempura was HOT. Unlike one of the other review and very good.
Service prompt and friendly.
Prices very reasonable.
Ambience is Renton.
Don't expect Indian Buffet prices. -
Review from mary g.
Seattle, WA
8/8/2010
I found this place because I was looking for a good bowl of ramen. And I found it! The restaurant is family run. The server/hostess was very friendly and quick. I ordered a bowl of tonkotsu ramen, which was perfect. The broth was nice and thick. The noodles were cooked to the perfect texture. I got the gyoza which was also very good and plump. The first time she brought the gyoza over, it wasn't cooked thoroughly. So, I told her and she immediately apologized and started a new batch. She even offered it on the house, which was a surprised service! Overall, I really like this place. And I'm surprised to find it in Renton. Although this was my first time, I would definitely go back again to try their other items on the extensive dinner menu.
