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Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Queen AnneTue-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
By far, this place made me feel like I was in Japan the most:
1) Thanks to my strategically selected bar seat at the far left, I could watch NHK TV easily the whole time. There's just something cool & interesting about it. I wonder if they have the BS Nippon channel because the P airs on that channel. I wouldn't mind eating while watching that. ^^
2) The sushi chef. Big man with a pleasant feeling about him. Him and some non-japanese folks next to me were chatting in japanese... (i wish Japanese 101 wasn't so tough, argh!). That was cool. The waitresses were good. Nice smiles, accent. I dig the, uh, "organized mess" that years of business did for it. You know? I mean you have the dining area which has it's nice, simple design and then you have the chef area, which has perhaps everything in its general area. Besides... (and this is perhaps my favorite reason for these sorts of things) it's just darn charming and cool for certain businesses like this. ;)
3) Everything that's japanese about it. The accents, the staff, the decor, NHK TV of course is a given, and the great sushi. My veggie, hamachi, and salmon nigiri were great. And I tried a hand towel for the first time ever. Sweet!
Why didn't I have to wait for a table when I went in on Friday night?
Honestly, I don't know. Shiki is definitely among my top 3 favorite sushi joints in the Seattle area. I'm a sashimi fan and the quality of fish here is fabulous, which is a selling point for me. The saba was the best I've ever had and the serving of tamago nigiri was generous. Even the sushi rice they used in the nigiri was outstanding.
The chef was very friendly and the specials sounded tempting. I may have to go back and order something other than sashimi (gasp).
Fresh, clean and traditional.
These three words best describe the sushi/sashimi offerings at Shiki. If this is what you're looking for, Shiki brings it in spades.
I had been to Shiki once many years ago, and when Hilary and I were looking for a quick sushi dinner in Seattle last night, I immediately reverted to what I know to be good, and boy did it not disappoint.
We ordered up some Omakase (our fav way to go) and without any question beyond "which do you prefer, sushi or sashimi?" (we answered "both") the sushiman served us up a procession of the freshest, cleanest sushi and sashimi I have had in a grip.
1. Fish pate with a fish roe and ponzu sauce - interesting and yum
2. Amazingly appointed sashimi plate with geoduck (amazing), hamachi (some of the best I've had in a while), King Mackerel (broiled - delish), ahi, albacore, salmon/cuke rolls, and assorted seaweed. The best part? uni - fresh from a tank sitting at the sushi bar. The freshest, creamiest, beast uni I have EVER had. I even convinced Hilary to eat some, and she loved it (and she does not like uni at all). Blew me away.
3. Sushi plate with (and this was the only disappointing part) repeats on the King Mackerel, Ahi and albacore, with new additions saba, flounder (with shiso), snow crab and scallop.
My absolute favs of the bunch? Uni (phenomenal uni - just in season, fresh from his tank, no chemical wash), Hamachi, geoduck. Heck, even the saba wasn't fishy at all.
The price for this big 'ol mess of sushi? $83. Add on a couple of big beers and a couple of sakes, and the total was $116. Definitely not cheap for a very hole-in-the-wall place, but worth every dollar. For fish this fresh, I will pay top dollar. Just from the handling of the uni alone, I can tell this sushiman takes pride in the freshness of his ingredients. And from what I hear, when uni is out of season, that tank has other things like live shrimp in it. Sounds like there's always some super fresh goodness going on there.
So if you're looking for some nouveau sushi rolls or fancy fusion fish, this is not your place. For good, solid, super-clean fish, this is your place.
I live in Lower Queen Anne and usually get my sushi at Sam's, but my wife and I wanted to try a new spot in the neighborhood so we walked over to Shiki for dinner.
The decor is definitely not fancy and it seems like Ken, the sushi chef, and his wife have been in the same spot for years: lots of knick knacks living in dusty corners and framed photographs of ducks that have turned blue from sunlight. It's lit like a hospital, but I don't mind it at all and it's really kind of cozy. Not a place to bring people who are looking to be impressed by ambiance, tho.
We ordered your standard white people stuff - a spicy tuna, a California roll, a Washington roll (salmon, cream cheese and cucumber) and edamame. We may have neither the most refined tastes nor the most daring palates, but we've had these 3 rolls a gazillion times all over the country and that may count for something.
The edamame was pretty standard, nothing special. The salmon was super fresh and as good as I've ever had. It had great texture and that perfect melt-in-your-mouth consistancy. My wife loved the California roll, although I thought it was just pretty good.
Don't have the spicy tuna roll if you can avoid it...it was fishy and overly spicy (in a bad way). I friend of mine who is a sushi chef once told me that the spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls are made with older, stinkier fish which is then disguised with spicy mayo. Invariably, when I find a good spicy tuna, the other tuna items are awesome.
I would definitely go back to try the rest of the stuff on the menu. I recommend it if only for the salmon.
after having a somewhat mediocre dinner experience at ume sake house, i consulted olive8's concierge chuck and was referred to shiki. man o man am i glad that i got my lazy butt across touristy-seattle-town on that monorail and trekked over to shiki.
ken, the sushi chef and his beautiful wife were the sweetest couple, and this meal really came through for me. along with the great tales ken told me about the salmon runs, squid fishing, mariner's games and his life in alaska, the uni was some of the best ive ever had, and i even got to taste some of their freshly harvested maguro which was absolutely divine!
i also had the pork chop which was a VERY generous serving (about 3-4 cutlets) thick and a bit marbled just on the edge of a cutlet or two, but found that most of it was white meat, no fat. the black cod was also delicious. tempura was OK, not as light and crispy as i like it. the real star here is the fish - and ken really knows how to make it shine.
this place truly is, to quote don b., fresh, clean and traditional. and i wouldnt have it any other way! i am not one to be distracted from quality sashimi by shiny objects, hip modern ceiling fan ribbon art or droning house music beats (ala ume).
SHIKI doesnt need the fluff. they got the goods!
My girlfriend and I sat down here and just told Ken, just give us the best you got. My girlfriend's vegetarian, she got veggie tempura and some miso asparagus :). But what did I get? Only the best sashimi I've had since a San Francisco restaurant where I spent $150. Toro, amazing hamachi (so buttery!), salmon + skin wrapped cucumbers (amazing!), the absolute best scallops I've ever had, and seared Spanish mackerel (so good, but better early on)... plus more and more gorgeous thick cuts.
The best thing I had?
Ken took two live Ebi from the fish tank he had, ripped them in half while still alive, made the tails both into sashimi, then with the heads STILL MOVING AROUND, served them as a garnish on the entire plate!! AWESOME! My girlfriend jumped in absolute fear, so Ken went and deep-fried them. The bodies continued to jiggle for minutes on my plate. After they heads cooled them I ate them bite by bite, eyes (!!), legs, antennae, so good. Never had that before. Amazing. Any time I go someplace and have something I've never eaten before, instant points -- and this time, extra points because it was so delicious and scared the pants off my GF :).
Only suggestion, put a dimmer on the lights... it's a little bright :).
Lately I've been judging the sushi joints by the choices on the sashimi platter. This one was just all right. It seems they should serve the same amount of each type of fish, but here they were a little stingy with some and generous with others i.e. 4 nice pieces of tuna, but only one surf clam and one flounder which makes it a little difficult when you're sharing.
Luckily we ordered various nigiri which were beautifully prepared and presented. The uni was absolutely fresh albeit a little sloppy. Still, flavorwise twas a decent meal. I think the way to go would be the cooked dishes instead. Tempura sounds good right now.
Once again, disappointed in what the Yelpers recommend. (sigh) I was hoping for something a little better.
First, the decor looks like it was collected from various street corners or raiding the dollar stores. Now I'm all finding a out of the way hole-in-the-wall but not really for sushi restaurants. 'Cheap' is not what I want to think of when I'm eating raw seafood.
Service was slow - only one sushi chef for the whole restaurant on a Friday night. Granted, the restaurant was only about 1/4 full but it still took quite a while for the initial plate to be served (and they forgot one of my orders).
The quality of fish was very good (though not spectacular). We sampled a pretty wide variety (maguro, hamachi, sake, toro, etc) and nothing jumped out at me as spectacular. The unagi was cold (bleh). Shrimp tempura was good (which is not saying much).
We had a couple of decent bottles of Karatanba, but they don't have hard liquor there (much to the consternation of my dinner companion).
I will say that the prices here are pretty damn good for the quality, which is definitely a saving grace.
With all these 5-star ratings, I just expected a lot more.
The bottom line is, this is a solid sushi joint for a reasonable price (something you could go to a couple of times a week without breaking the bank) but in no way is this a 5-star restaurant.
This is among the very best sashimi in Seattle.
That $30 chef's plate is a veritable smorgasbord of fish (not to intentionally confuse cultures), in varying bites, or in some cases chunks. It's fresh. It's tasty. The textures are spot on, and varied. It's a fun adventure, like a fish garden hiding secrets behind secrets. Next time I'll try to $40 version, to see what fancier fish Ken crafts on that plate. This is seriously one of Seattle's hidden secrets.
Besides, how many sashimi plates come with large shrimp head still jolting from just being severed -- now that's FRESH! And the several tails on the plate taste great. Each of the 7 or so different sections also show their own unique presentation, and flavors from salty-ish, to sweet, to spicy. So good!
Except for the few bad reviews here, the one's 3 stars and up really are accurate, and do capture the strengths and weaknesses of the place, so I really don't need to say much more. And I really don't understand the reviews in the 1 to 2 range, and their reasons at all.
The black cod was excellent -- yes, it's a fillet that's not a meal -- it's on the a la carte menu, but it is a generous portion for $11, perfectly cooked and seasoned with a slight sweetness, and in case people don't know, black cod ain't cheap.
The decor is ok in that some things have a nice attention to detail (placemats, a low-salt soy sauce option with herbs in the bottle, and even a nice small dish that holds a large wetnap). Other aspects of the decor's a bit rough (the wall art, the "popcorn" walls). But the service is very good, and chef Ken was entirely available and friendly in a nice, easy, nonobtrusive but "there" kind of way. I really appreciate that.
Most of the finer sushi places in Seattle hover right around this price range, but for $30 for the sashimi plate, you get the most bang for your buck, both in quantity, and quality. On a warm sunny day (they already had the air conditioning on, even though it's not even June yet), this is a great place to go.
Word.
I dined here for lunch this afternoon and our experience was nothing but pleasant. Shiki feels very authentic. Almost like you are in a sushi restaurant in Japan.
Green tea was brought out promptly upon our arrival. I decided on the Bento special while I friend went with the Tempura lunch.
Our plates arrived shortly after we had finished some delicious Miso soup and small salads. My plate full of all sorts of goodies, from a delicious pickled gobo salad, to dumplings, pork katsu, three small albacore rolls, 3 nigiri, a nori salad, white fish, and and a deep fried potato dish. Everything was delicious, particularly the gobo salad and the fish. The sushi was fresh, the tempura tasty... and when all was said and done, it came to about $13 per person.
Because of the location of this particular restaurant, I'm guessing that the crowds are never insane during lunch, though I'm sure they've got their regulars in the evening. This place is great. I'm looking forward to returning.
Next time, I'm going the chirashi route. It looks too good to pass up twice! :)
I went to this place based on the yelp reviews. I knew there were a few iffy ones, but decided to check it out anyhow. I absolutely loved this place. I got the omakase sashimi and was very very happy with what the chef prepared for me. The sashimi tasted really really great and I had no complaints about the food. The decor needs an update, but as long as they keep cranking out the great sushi, sashimi and fish I'd come back here time and time again.
Shiki is a tiny little place and great for lunch. Don't tell the boss, but the sake selection makes for a fun lunch, too.
Some of my pickiest clients have come away loving this spot.
Great little find!
Absolutely a tucked away gem in Seattle. When I first moved here this was one of the first sushi restaurant I tried on a random. At that moment I knew I was a lucky man.
Shiki is a very traditional Sushi restaurant. The focus here is on the fish and fish only. You will see that they don't do too fancy of rolls. All very traditional Japanese rolls with clean, simple and refreshing flavors to enhance the taste of the fish. Any roll or nigiri you try here you will get the essential tone of the fish.
For this reason, all the fish here are extremely fresh. They have the best quality of fish up to date in my opinion. Also, nigiris come with huge chunks of fish. It's like the sushi man dropped a small brick of a fish on the rice. Properly served. Because of their emphasis on the freshness of the fish, they sometimes don't have the variety as other places do, but what they have is fresh as the ocean. That kind of attitude again shows that this is a traditional Sushi place.
A couple owns this joint. A beary Harley loving Sushi man and his proper yet very sweet wife. Both very sweet and kind. I would suggest sitting up at the bar and just ask for the Sushi man's suggestions. He will serve you the most freshest and delicious nigiris. He's also fun to interact with.
Just like their sushi, the Japanese dishes here are very traditional. You may find somethings you have never encountered. I promise you that they are all good. I suggest taking a look at the daily specials and try out something that tickles your fancy. They had deep fried Uni once. WOW! That was most gluttonously satisfying appetizer EVAH!
I personally suggest this place to anybody who ask where the best sushi is in town. It is a little pricey but it's worth every cent.
IMO:
* don't go here for the sushi.
* DO go here for the tonkatsu. do you like thick, juicy fried pork? YES! it's the best here.
* DO go for the karatamba sake - a cold, dry sake. my favorite!
it is a tad on the pricey side, but well worth it for the tonkatsu & sake. also, if you love wasabi, you'll love the wasabi shu mai. i personally can't take it - it makes my nose hurt too much.
any time i've been there they've been friendly. personally i think the ambiance feels like i'm going to my friend's parents house for dinner. :)
Since most of the reviews are about sushi, I'll review couple of the main entrees they serve.
Tonkatsu - THE BEST IN TOWN! They are thick and VERY tender! You get two huge pieces that you'll have some to take home. You'll never find anything like this around town. If you do let me know.
Tara No Kasasuke (Black Cod) - MY FAVORITE! It's perfectly made. Not over cooked and again you get two pieces. MMMMMMMMMMMM!
Ok, I'll say it. Their sashimi is VERY FRESH! I love their Chirashi as well.
I normally order the Chawanmushi (steamed egg delight) and my favorite sushi for appetizers, then order the entree. Nice fill up!
The price is high. Treat yourself once in awhile because - YOU ARE WORTH IT!
I personally know Ken and Etsuko, the owner of Shiki. They are really kool couple at the restaurant and outside of the business. They are as great as the food they prepare and serve!
A MUST GO!
P.S. That's not the reason why I gave them 5-stars, knowing the owners. The entrees I reviewed are really delicious! Again, let me know if you can find Tonkatsu better than Shiki.
Tasty tasty! Probably the freshest lunch sushi one can buy in Lower Queen Anne. It has a hole-in-the-wall vibe, with a very chill chef. $16 got me a spicy tuna roll, and 4 pieces of nigiri (Yellowfin and Salmon). Tad bit expensive for me, but a worthwhile treat.
Oh and the nigiri portions are generous too. =) Yum yum!
Hands down the best Sashimi in Seattle. I've been to the Bell-town over-priced presentation based at the expense of quality places. I've been to so many places not even worth reviewing in Seattle. I can hardly stand to eat Sashimi any other place because it is such a let down in comparison.
People knock the hole in the wall look of this place, but how many Sushi places have they been to in Japan? Speaking from personal experience this is the real thing. This is what you get in Japan except for the fact that the chef is a master.
The cut of the Sashimi here is perfect. It's not fancy it's not compensating for anything. The Spider-Roll is amazing it is the best I've ever had anywhere. The price is not so bad when you consider the quality you are getting.
I've been here many times and each time the quality is always top notch. When I hear something about the quality being sub-par here I find it hard to believe. I've heard complaints about the wife of the chef and I've never had any problem with her. She's not super polite or rude. She could be a total bitch for all I care it wouldn't stop me from coming back again and again.
I feel like a lot of people who prefer Bell-town places don't really know much about Sushi or Sashimi. I recommend this place to you if you want a real Japanese experience with a super high quality chef.
This was a hole in the wall restaurant my friend and I found walking around Queen Anne Hill and it was a wonderful surprise. I suppose one positive indication upon entering was the friendly banter amongst many customers with the chef in Japanese.
I ordered omakase sashimi (essentially chef's choice of sushi). The food was extremely affordable and the fish was of excellent quality and variety. The tuna nigiri was well marbled and great tasting, especially for what I was paying.
The waitstaff was very attentive and pleasant to talk to as well.
The only reason I'm rating it 4 / 5 is because I haven't visited enough sushi places around Seattle to compare it relative to local competition.
First of all, can I say how happy we were to find Shiki on the bottom of Queen Anna hill? We were on foot from downtown, and by the time we arrived we were famished and in no mood for a hill climb. Just then we spied Shiki at the base of the hill... saved!
We made the trek to Queen Anne inspired by the mostly excellent reviews for this place, and arrived anticipating great fish in generous portions. We were not disappointed! When we asked about the specials, Chef Ken pulled them out of the case to show us, then we headed back to our seats to come up with the night's menu...
We had the chef's choice sashimi for $30, with very generous servings of 6 types of fish. We had the sweet shrimp plucked straight from the tank - Chef Ken came over to the table and showed us which part of the still-twitching head was edible. The taste was briny and delicious, the experience indelible. Other standouts included the king mackerel, albacore and amberjack. The entire plate was happily polished off, seaweed garnishes and all. Best sashimi we've had in Seattle, and we got to try new fish we haven't seen elsewhere (needlefish).
The non-sashimi part of the evening was a little uneven. The miso soup was not warm (at all - odd. We wondered if miso not served hot in Japan? Regardless, some hot miso soup would've been nice on such a drizzly night. Also, the one roll we ordered (unagi and cucumber) was a bit heavy on the sauce and fell apart easily. The eel itself was very good though.
Overall, a great night of fish - Chef Ken tells us winter is fugu season. We'll definitely be back for that, and likely before!
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - ..... 48, 49, 50! Destination achieved!
50 paces from my house is the best sushi restaurant in Seattle. 'The best' means you can tell the food is fresh, the service is impeccable, presentation is pristine, the price is right, the sake is smooth, and there is no doubt that the owner/chef knows his way around knives, fish and seaweed.
I love sitting at the bar solo and reading the weeklies or scripts. This week I boycotted cinco de mayo festivities and went for octopus, salmon, spicy tuna and a small carafe of crisp, cold sake.
One of my favorite things about sashimi is texture - that's where the freshness comes in. A true culinary delight will be chewy and silky, all in the right ways. Salmon and Octopus are the perfect tests and at Shiki - you get the real deal.
This is a quiet and unassuming venue where the staff watches intently to ensure your needs are met - but also respectfully lets you enjoy your space. They serve some more adventurous fare I am eager to try, so pop over and find me at step #50 for the best sushi experience within miles of 98119.
I'm kind of hesitant to write a review of this place because one of my friends is a regular here. Hopefully she won't check Yelp and find this review.
The food is expensive and not all that wonderful. The fish is decently fresh but they don't give you a lot of variety when you order the omakase. The uni, toro, and salmon were all a little subpar in terms of taste and portion size.
The rice with crab was really good and ended up being the saving grace of the meal. Service is not that good when you get the owner's wife as she's kind of brusque. Overall, not quite worth the $60pp.
You know when you're on the fence and can't decide where to eat? And you know you have all these Yelp bookmarks and lists but it's just too much decision-making and now you're hungry and you are leaning toward sushi but you're not in the mood to wait for a table or make a reservation or scream across the table at your dining companion(s)?
Shiki is perfect for those evenings. Great fish. No frills. Straightforward menu. You walk in and feel welcomed. You leave satisfied with a good meal and next time it won't be so hard to decide where to go.
BTW, I haven't tried the blow fish menu, but I overheard that the season is around late November.
Shiki's is hands down the best, most high quality sushi in Seattle.
This little neighborhood sushi restaurant is owned by Chef Ken and his wife, who are there any time you go. They offer prompt, friendly, and helpful service as well as suggestions. The sushi may be expensive but it is well worth it, it is also guaranteed fresh! I once ordered a sea urchin sashimi and received it free of charge because the owner's wife informed me that it was not as fresh as it could have been.
Try the fresh amaebi (sweet shrimp) and the fried shrimp heads. The grilled quail is also a great option.
I used to be a big fan of Shiki, despite it's priciness. I still maintain that they have one of the best Spider Rolls in the area. But the rest of their fare has gone down a bit.
We ordered Chef's Choice on several occasions and there's not a lot of imagination there. It was pretty much the same sashimi combo plate and a couple standard rolls. Nothing that made me squeal with delight (like other places have succeeded in doing). I'm sorry to say that the chef seems to be on autopilot. The dive-y atmosphere of the place no longer justifies the steep prices.
The fish quality might be great but is served way too cold. For example, the uni was still a bit frosty so I couldn't get the full flavor of it.
One of the biggest strikes against this place is the heavy handed use of wasabi on everything. The last time we had nigiri, I had to secretly scrape it off the rice before ingesting. I love me some spicy tuna roll, but the giant gobs of wasabi make them practically inedible (on two consecutive visits). It actually induced tears. And if it weren't for the wasabi, the overuse of sriracha made it equally unpleasant to eat.
Seriously, what happened to good tasting spicy tuna rolls? Use some fricken garlic, green onion, chili oil, or something OTHER than just a tablespoon of sriracha as flavoring. It's disheartening.
I hope the chef gets some inspiration or a spiritual turnaround to revamp the energy of this place. It's a shame that I'm avoiding this place even when it's right in my neighborhood.
I can't believe I've lived in Seattle my whole entire life and have never dined here!!!! Thank god for my elite yelper that took me here!!!!!
This sushi restaurant might be my new top sushi restaurants to dine at in Seattle!!! The lists of the sushi I ordered is irrelevant, but the albacore was to die for that night..
and fyi : they have blow fish there!!! deadly blow fish.... if you dare to eat it you have to give a 24 hr notice, and have to wait for the blow fish season!!!
Seattle has an abundance of sushi bars. There's the nouveau fusion ones that are supposedly cutting edge, serving nontraditional creations. Fast food sushi bars, good for quantity, a quick fix, low price and quality. Slick expensive places serving some great food. Multi-Asian fare places offering the latest special roll of the week. Neighborhood favorites, etc.
For me if I want some outstanding sushi without any extra fluff, I go right to Shiki. Been coming here for years and a customer of Yamamoto-San, pre Shiki. Although not fancy inside, it's a homey, comfortable place with excellent service.
Great fish is expensive and that what is served at Shiki. So expect to pay the going price for premium seafood. If the available fish is not great it won't be served, as a result I've never experienced an "off" night here. Shiki also gets some special items from Japan, live, little, fresh water crabs can be found here in the fall. Live shrimp and of course Fugu. Shiki has the best ikura too. In season, ask for fresh uni unshelled for your order.
Ask the chef what he recommends from the kitchen, you won't be disappointed. If you are just a roll person, try something else here, you'll most likely really enjoy it and expand your sushi horizons.
If you want a sushi experience that is about the food, Shiki is the place to go.
Pretty much a hole in the wall sushi place. Love it. The sushi is always good. We go pretty much weekly and have yet to be disappointed. My sushi barometer is yellowtail and Shiki always has it fresh and yummy. No complaints about this place. I can hardly believe it's not more popular.
I remember coming here when I used to live in Washington. I would make the drive up from Fort Lewis with people who wanted to try sushi for the first time. I looked at reviews online and came upon Shiki and decided to make some resservations. Shiki is a very nice cozy little place that seats roughly 30 people. The good thing about the restaurant is if you make a reservation, there is a small little private room right where the entrance is. For a group of 8, it was just perfect.
Next, I can not begin to describe the excellence of the chef. I know Chef Ken is pretty much renowned, but I did not know that his sushi cutting skills could be so artsy. We would order different types of sushi and he would arrange it in a platter that made it look like a piece of art! We were really amazed! I wish I had photos to show you but my last computer crashed. Oh well. If you're in Seattle, or if you live there, I would check Shiki out if you want some great sushi.
P.S. If anyone has tried the fugu here, let me know. I guess I came here when it wasn't in season.
I did not have a good meal here, nor did my three companions. I'll start out this review by saying that the sukiyaki was decent and the toro was very good. My aji was fine. The tempura was acceptable. On to the bad: my nama sake was abysmal, it tasted like the bottom of the sea. The service was unfriendly and slow. We had to ask for water multiple times before we got any. Each of our dishes came out a different time, so one person was done eating before the next would get his plate, etc. The miso soup was bland and nobody finished their bowls. One of my dinner companions ordered a black cod soba soup, which came in an unpalatable, corn starch-thickened broth with a mysterious slimy goo on top. She could not eat it. Another companion's unadon was loaded up with a huge quantity of unagi, which may have been nice had it been very good. The unagi, however, was not particularly good. My tonkatsu was also huge, two full-sized pieces of pork. The meat was dry despite having a thick ring of fat along the edges, and the breading was soggy on most pieces. I didn't finish it. Our terrible meal cost us $120 (before tip), which is mind-boggling. I will never return.
We visited Shiki after a day of sightseeing in Vancouver. Being out-of-towners, we found it a bit difficult to locate, but it was worth the effort.
One note, my wife is Japanese and I share her fondness for traditional Japanese cuisine. As others have noted, there is a dearth of contemporary American Japanese on the menu -- rolls, blow-torched things stacked vertically -- and that's just fine for us.
We chose to wait about 15 minutes for a spot to open up at the sushi bar. We started off with a mind-blowingly good matsutake dobin mushi. It really hit the spot after being out and about on that cool autumn day. Next was kanimeshi, a crab & rice bento box favorite, which was good, but didn't knock my socks off. My wife loved it, but I assume comfort-food nostalgia is a factor.
For the main course, we do as we always do: omakase -- chef's choice. Ken asked a couple questions about our preferences and served us an array of delectable sushi and sashimi. A regular at the bar raved about the ikura, which Ken prepares himself, so we asked to try that specifically. It did not disappoint. It was exquisitely briny without the at times overbearing saltiness of the store-bought stuff. The uni was also spectacular. Ken gets the sea urchin from a local and serves it the same day.
Overall, this was one of the best sushi experiences we've ever enjoyed. A cozy, unpretentious little place run by a chef who understands that sushi is about letting fine ingredients speak for themselves.
By all means it's not the best sushi I've had. A yelp addicted friend read some good reviews and we decided to walk from Belltown. It's on the corner of W. Roy St and Queen Anne Ave N so it's easy to see. Well easy to see if you're not retarded. Our awesome group of five still manage to get lost on the way (we're all new to Seattle).
We booked in an hour in advance just to make sure we would have a table when we got there. It was a Saturday night and we didn't want to take any changes. When we got there, we were placed in the nice separated corner section at the front. The place didn't see too busy when we arrived. We ordered a lot of random sushi rolls and tried the chef's sashimi special platter. The sashimi platter was superb. The seafood cuts were very fresh and the pieces chosen offered a good selection of texture and colour. The sushi rolls were an average for me. I would definitely not visit again if the sushi had been any worse. But I would probably go again. The sushi was okay and the sashimi awesome. The bill racked up a little over $100 for the 5 of us.
My boyfriend and I were tired of the cheap sushi that is scattered around seattle, so we let urban spoon direct us to somewhere new. Conveniently located at the bottom of QA sits little shiki shiki! I love this place. We had a ton of different rolls and some nigiri, and devoured it all. The fish is beyond fresh, great menu, and super high quality sushi. The restaurant is quaint and cozy, and the service is friendly and quick. Also, you can find parking in the lot on the corner which is designated for Shiki Shiki customers. This makes this place even better since parking in this area is more than difficult! If someone asked me where to go in Seattle for GOOD sit down sushi, I'd definitely have to say Shiki Shiki.
I am very upset with myself for living on Queen Anne for years and never discovering this place. Top-notch sushi in a friendly, casual, neighborhood environment. Prices are eminently reasonable, and Ken is very cheerful!
Just came back from a lovely dinner featuring yummy, crispy gyoza and a standard sushi assortment, all of which was as good as any other sushi I've ever had. Was a bit dissapointed that the amaebi wasn't available at the moment, but will definitely be back when it is.
By far the most AUTHENTIC and FRESH sushi in all of Seattle! This chef (he is a RIOT, by the way!) is the only sushi chef on the west coast who can cut a puffer fish so it's not poisonous. Now THAT is skill.
A bit pricey, but compared to some other Seattle sushi joints, not bad at all. This guy really knows what he's doing.
The owner-chef, Ken-san, is one of a handful of sushi chefs certified to work with fugu. Always amazing to sit at the sushi bar and watch his knife skills in action.
Shiki has excellent sushi and one of my favorite places for lunch. The special bento changes daily and is never the same twice. The only place I've been that has superior sushi costs quite a bit more.
The place was filled with speaking Japanese, a good sign.
I got the sushi combo, it was excellent and more food than I could eat.
Shiki is the best hidden sushi place in the northwest!
Ken Yamamoto is the only licensed chef outside of NY to serve fugu! Truly a master of sushi! You will not find better, simpler, tastier sushi. You will also not find any of the fu-fu rolls like the super Godzilla crunch. You will find excellent service, moderate prices and excellent sushi. This is one of my favorite places to eat in Seattle period.
I didn't find anything wrong with Shiki.
The food was good... but the menu was very small.
I don't need a menu full of nouveau-Japanese fusion dishes or Americanized maki, but I enjoy a little more extensive menu than Shiki offers.
I did, however, really love the Dobin Mushi (pine mushroom soup). It smelled like a bonfire at the beach... lovely.
Overall it was an enjoyable meal, but besides the soup, it was not much different from what I'd find at other sushi places.
The decor doesn't seem updated since 1988.
But once you sit down, you realize, it's all about the food here.
Sashimi is fresh in generous cuts. Rice is well seasoned, the way I find all authentic Japanese chefs take the extra care for.
The cooked dishes expand beyond the typical Japanese restaurant menu and takes advantage of seasonal ingredients (the name of the restaurant in Japanese is Four Seasons)
Looking forward to coming back for many more meals.
This is the best sushi in town. There are a couple other places at the same quality level maybe, but they're double the price. Kenji has a care and attention to preparation and handling of the sushi that would be comparable to someone dismantling a bomb and you can taste the amount of care and attention.
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