Best Japanese curry and ramen I've had in Bellingham. Great quality and service, also clean inside with friendly staff!

Excellent sushi. Perfect rice, proportions, fish freshness and temperature. Haven't had sushi traditionally prepared since Hawaii about a decade ago. Most American restaurants tend to give you gigantic portions, you can't fit it all in your mouth at one time which is what you're supposed to be able to do. My friends had domburi (rice bowl) or noodles and they all said the food was delicious. I can only speak about the sushi, I'll try one of their domburi dishes next time. read more

After finishing up my shopping at Trader Joe's, my family wanted to grab a bite for lunch. I checked Yelp, and this was the highest rated place nearby. And it helped that it was within walking distance. Upon walking in, the staff let us pick an empty table. The place is rather typical looking for a family-run Japanese restaurant. It was clean, which is the most important thing for these quick lunch stops. - Takoyaki: OK. Good size, covered in bonito flakes. It was quite well presented and tasted fine. My only complaint was that it was close to lukewarm not hot, so it didn't seem freshly made. The greens seemed unnecessary. - Vegetable Tempura: OK. Nothing special. A good tempura batter is very light and airy, but this one was a bit bready. - Shoyu Ramen: OK. Good size, and flavors where there. The pork was the thickest piece I've ever had in a ramen bowl, but very tender, so no real complaints. - Chicken Teriyaki Rice: Not recommended. Chicken was tender enough, but I prefer chicken with skin. Plate was drowning in sauce. Edible, but not enjoyable. Service was simple and nice enough. Food came out in a reasonable amount of time. Overall, we were satisfied. The food here caters to what locals want and expect, and they generally do a fine job with it. If I was hungry and was in the area, I would certainly consider it. read more

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This is a decent spot for a family outing especially when you must be able to span both the anglo palate (stretching to tolerate Asian flavors ) and more adventuresome tongues. This place caters to the middling middle class of 'Muricans who enjoy a deracinated, creamier-tasting Asian representation on their plates. On a recent Friday evening the seating chart of the medium sized room was filled with families and a decent buzz. Not ideal for a date -- but if you have no choice then sure, come down to a sprawling mall parking lot and enter the non-descript facade of this eatery, across from a grocery store and a bank. I've been here only once with a family whose teen is thrilled for Ramen. The teen enjoyed Salmon Sashimi and Tonkatsu Ramen...which widened her eyes when they were served...the novelty of youth! Both seemed to be a "good" representation of both. Sophomoric, but sufficient. Everything is neatly presented but slightly not exciting. Takoyaki was rather spare in toppings but still crunchy fun. The sushi rice rolls we ordered were quite adequate and slathered with the fun American sauces -- but not stripped and tight. There are many families who obviously enjoy the Asian food here. However, I found this to be a forgettable representation of Asian food that fell flat. I wouldn't choose to return here. Nothing on the menu is original or made sufficiently well that I would return. read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Takoyaki appetizer - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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I have always enjoyed the food here. The Ramen is unique and high quality. The sushi is fresh and well priced in my opinion.

Their nigiri sushi, rolls, and sake choices are the best! The staff are friendly, the place is clean and cozy. Small, though. Get there early. read more

We had sake, gyoza, a potato pancake (forgot the spelling), and ramen. It was ALL fantastic! The gyoza was flavorful and perfectly prepared, and the ramen was as good as we've had in the PNW. We also carried out chicken teriyaki, which didn't hit the same highs but would likely please kids or folks new to Japanese food, and not ready to jump in to sushi or ramen. We will 100% be back. read more

Very quick, friendly service. Good selection of ramen but not super flavorful. Sushi was good, edamame was fresh. Spicy edamame was fresh and spicy sweet. read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Tonkotsu add broccoli and corn - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Super disappointed with this place. Nigiri was the size of my son's (15yrs) pinky finger. Sushi rolls were mediocre, and the hand roll had a super tiny piece of salmon. However the prices were very high close to $200 with no alcohol or any other beverages. I will not recommend this place if you're looking for your moneys worth...! read more

Me and my partner have been to Hokkai many many times and always enjoy their food. We tried their ramen for the first time yesterday and it was amazing. We normally get the sushi which in my opinion is some of the best in the area. My one complaint which I am not allowing to impact my rating was my interaction with one of the servers who was rude to us when we were too early to pick up our order. Perhaps she was overwhelmed with the Friday evening rush! Anyways will continue to eat her and look for a better interaction next time! read more

Lovely people, Lovely atmosphere, and great food! I go here with my co workers often and its one of our favs! We love you hokkai! read more

I do not know why yelp review is so good. They are not Japanese and tastes are not authentic either. small portion and just old style. People do not know what is the real authentic tastes is. I am surprised that they can keep business with this level. read more

I was so excited to try this place but left so disappointed. The amount of food for the price was a bit pricey. The chicken teriyaki platters could've passed as a child platter. The Chicken teriyaki ramen left a bad taste even hours after we left the restaurant. The flavor was just not it. The only thing I truly enjoyed were the gyozas and service. We were welcomed in right as we walked through the doors and seated right away. Our waitress was attentive and kind! The place is small but very calm and comfortable. Unfortunately though gyozas and good service are not sufficient reasons to return again. read more

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My wife and I shared two different plates of sushi rolls, and they were great. Service was excellent. Would definitely recommend.

My only complaint is that their sushi selection isn't as extensive as I want it to be. Given that this is primarily a ramen house though it is easily overlooked. The ramen is wonderful and easily the best you can get anywhere in the area in my opinion. You'd have to go up to Richmond in BC or down to the Seattle area to beat it and even then it'd be close. The staff is friendly, the restaurant is clean and the food is spectacular. What else is needed? read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Hamachi and Unagi nigiri. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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We went here for our anniversary dinner. Delicious food. Wonderful staff. Sat us quickly. Great experience. Good prices. Clean. Would come again. Ambiance is fine. Generic. That's the only reason I'm giving 4 stars. read more

My miso ramen lacked any depth but I'd say tasted fine and average, the noodles were fine and the meat was thickly cut which was nice if you prefer one thick slab to a few thinner slices. The appetizer was okay as well, we ordered edamame which can't really be done unwell either. My biggest issue is that the service was terrible from one woman in particular that worked there, with a big mole on the left side of her nose. After 30 minutes, we had asked pretty politely about how long our food might be, and she had said this is a restaurant and not a fast food restaurant so it's going to be 30-40 minutes. From this interaction for food that I'd overall rate a 2/5, I would not recommend this place. read more

Service was great, food is delicious and the vibe was awesome. I recommend this restaurant

I find the ramen soup too salty, otherwise everything is fine. It's clean inside and good lighting.

Ramen and sushi is amazing, staff are wonderful and kind. The overall atmosphere is cozy and inviting and I always look forward to coming here! Only downside is that everyone who knows about this place loves it so sometimes theres a bit of a wait but its always worth it! read more

First visit to Hokkai on a busy Wednesday night (I was surprised!) Nearly every table was full when we arrived, we waited a couple of minutes for one to be cleared, then had a seat. There were two wait staff, they were running and running, I was impressed. It took a few minutes to be greeted, receive menus and waters, and to place our orders, but once we did, wow, I was more impressed. We ordered Milk Tea (like Thai Iced Tea) and a starter (Gyoza). Those arrived quick, then before we were done with our Gyoza, our entree choices arrived, so fast! The Gyoza were slightly overcooked (it was a pretty heavy sear on one side of the dumplings) but they were tasty, there was a scarce amount of dipping sauce, but it ended up being enough. The milk tea was tasty, no surprises. We ordered a Sushi selection/combo that included a California Roll, and two pieces each of salmon, tuna, hamachi, and albacore sushi. We also ordered a Spider Roll. The sushi was so good and so fresh, we were so impressed. We think this is the best sushi in Bellingham (we are purists and prefer simple sushi without a lot of fanfare or embellishment). Comments about the prices are not wrong, the prices are pretty proud, but the service is quick and the food is very high quality. Add to that the fact that restaurant was full from the minute we arrived until we left (and they were doing take-out, uber eats the whole time), the community likes this place, they're showing up to eat. I used to come to this space before when it was Teriyaki House and it has been cleaned up and improved since then. It has a more Japanese feel with the sushi chef front and center and the Noren (fabric banners) add to the authentic feel. We're looking forward to try the Ramen and other dishes on the menu. read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Spider Roll and Sushi Combo. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Wide variety of ramen flavors to choose from. The appetizer selection was also great. We went in the late afternoon and the service was wonderful. Portions were just right. The ambiance was nice and clean with Japanese decor. Will return! read more

We had the Tonkotsu Ramen with extra pork and the Hot Fuji Mt. Ramen. $31. This was some of the best ramen we've had in the past several years. The broth was full of flavor and the noodles were perfect. The Hot Fuji was spicy enough but not over the top. The only negative was the pork which didn't have much flavor at all. Getting extra was a mistake. The amount you get by default is fine. This restaurant is a hidden gem! If they had more flavor in their pork then they would rival the best in the West. read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Tonkotsu Ramen - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

The best ramen in PNW. I've been going there for good 4 if not 5 years, and every time it's amazing. I think we've only had one "bad" experience when they were busy and the service was rather disappointing, but my stance on this place doesn't change that. Their food is amazing, make sure to try Tokoyaki for appetizer, that's literally one thing we've always been ordering each and every time. Their cook i believe who also is an owner makes amazing food. Highly recommend and couldn't recommend it enough. read more

Ok, so I am of two minds here. The ramen (my husband got the Tonkatsu) was delicious! The broth was complex and slightly creamy, the noodles perfectly al dente, and the pork was really tender. I may have stolen a few bites!! Now, I had their sushi, which was also really good, they have soy wrappers that look the color of lettuce leaves, they had great sticky rice and their soft shell crap tempura was delicious! My only cons, and really this is personal preference and wanting more than I would say a con, is they do not have spicy sushi with cooked fish, and they sushi was very loose and not packed tightly so it fell apart on occasion. Otherwise, yum! read more

Unassuming little restaurant with amazing food! Enthusiastic greetings met is as we entered the restaurant and we were quickly seated. The Milk Tea is wonderful and we enjoyed the Chicken Teriyaki Ramen, Teriyaki Chicken Plate, and the Hot Fuji Mountain Ramen with the Smokey BBQ pork Every portion was plentiful, the dishes delicious, and the service was terrific! We will return. read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Hot Fuji Mountain Ramen with BBQ Pork - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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We had their ramen, crunchy roll, and mochi for dessert. If you're craving ramen and sushi, this is a decent spot to try if you're in town.

Worst food ever. Ordered teriyaki with rice and it tasted like it was weeks old. Chicken was not cooked properly and the sauce tasted terrible. It was definitely reheated. They should taste their own food before they serve it. I highly recommend not to order chicken here; a waste of your money and time. read more

We got the tempura assortment and a sushi roll They were delicious We cant wait to go back read more

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Every dish we ordered from here tasted like authentic Japanese food. The flavors are very clean and our waitress is very mindful of my mothers shellfish allergy and informed us that the fried food was cooked in the same oil as the shrimp. Her attentiveness was much appreciated. overall the service, the food and the timeliness of everything was great. read more

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First time here, I used to go Muto but they are close business I ordered Miso ramen, soup and egg were ok but bamboo shoot was cold, then I check chashu (pork belly) it was nice thick slice but also cold. I had to put them push into soup to warm up. Flavor was good, this is suggestion that they should make sure warm up these topping before place in bowl I also ordered some Togo, they are good one thing is karate was bit small portion but no chopsticks or napkins read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

This is some of the best sushi I have had in recent history. They have a wide variety of both cooked and raw rolls along with sashimi. We ordered to go and they had our order ready quickly and packed well. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

A great locally owned business to support. We love Hokkai. We enjoy the ramen choices and the specialty sushi rolls. great customer service as well. It's a small space so feels very cozy with nice ambient lighting. It can get pretty busy so going earlier for dinner is our preference. It's family friendly - we have taken our toddler there many times - edamame and sushi keep her occupied! read more

Nice sized parking lot right in front, I was greeted as soon as I walked in. Everything is set up with safety in mind. Menu out on the front window made it easy for me to select what inwanted before entering. Everyone was so friendly!! Ibwaited less time here than in line at the bank. I got Gyoza and potatoe pancake things. Gyoza was cooked great and had good flavor. Potato pancakes were nice and crispy on the outside and the inside like mashed potatoes. If eating without the dip it tasted like potato but add the dipping sauce and yummy, really makes it zing. I will be back for sure. read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Potato pancake thing - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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On my many travels abroad, Japan has always been a most favorite of eating destinations. When my youngest daughter recommend the exotic Hokkai to dine at, I jumped at the opportunity. My eldest daughter joined us making a party of 3 for the evening. Classically named and elegant, my daughters of coursed dressed for the occasion. My oldest adorned herself in a black dress lightly patterned with flowers and plants. Her top was black with a moon illustration centered on the front. My youngest wore heavily flowered jacket over a black tank top with long flowing bell bottomed slacks. My choice was more casual. A short sleeved mustard colored shirt with a favorable blue tiki leaf type pattern. High end wine colored shorts. We all looked smart and commanded appropriate attention. Hokkai is located in a typical nondescript strip mall between an eyeglass establishment and Federally secured bank. Entering transported me back in time to one of my explorations of the mysterious and wondrous City of Kyoto. After a long day of exploring the temples, my blonde statuesque travel companion and I stopped into a small family run restaurant for a bite to eat and refreshment. We could not read the menu but the staff was incredibly helpful in getting us a satisfying meal. I remember choosing a local Sake as my drink. I will not go into detail but it was a poor choice for many reasons. I apologize, I digress. Ramen seems to be the specialty of the house but my dinner mates and I went off the board and ordered Pork Katsu Don, Curry Donkatsu Pork and Beef Curry as out mains. Before they arrived, our Miso Soup, Cucumber roll, spicy Tuna Roll and Karaage kept us sufficiently satisfied. The Miso Soup was perfect. One of my daughters noted that the tofu pieces were small but numerous. This made a very enjoyable experience for me as I nearly want to give up consuming the soup when the Tofu is exhausted. Sushi purists will "pooh-pooh" the western influenced mixing of wasabi into soy sauce for many reasons, unfortunately cannot shake this habit. Spicy Tuna and Cucumber rolls were spot on. Fresh, clean and delicious. The Karaage was delectable and a perfect match to the spicy mayo dipping sauce. Our main dishes arrived and they were all delicious. My Beef Curry is simple. A typical Japanese office workers lunch. Beef Curry over white rice. The Curry is flavorful but hot overly spicy. I sampled my youngest daughters Pork Katsu and it was a perfect panko crusted cutlet with the same Curry sauce as my dish. I was jealous of my oldest daughters Pork Katsu Don topped with the traditional Japanese fried egg. We were all satisfied. Sharing the evening with my daughters and this authentic Japanese meal is solidified as a marvelous memory for all of us. Thank to the friendly staff of Hokkai. Iroiro arigato gozaimashita read more

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Food and service were okay. Ordered veggie ramen, 1 sushi roll, edamame, chicken teriyaki, and poke bowl. $100 after tip. Ambience was good. Service is was okay. Wait staff didn't seem super thoughtful (e.g. didn't offer boxes for left over, didn't ask once to refill drinks, etc.). Food was decent, but for what you pay, portions seemed small. I'm used to Asian restaurants in south king county, where spending $100 usually comes with significantly large portions of food and pretty solid service. Giving this 3 stars. A wait staff that seemed more thoughtful could have added a 4th star, and slightly larger portions (maybe 20% more) would make me give the place a 5th star. read more

Not the best. Husband got the hot mt Fuji and I got the tonkastu. The pork in ramen was extremely fatty with no flavor and pork bone broth has no flavor as well. The place was small and filled up relatively quickly after opening. There were two waitresses and they were constantly running around. There was one waitress who was more attentive than the other one. Would not go back. read more

Hokkai has been my favorite restaurant for 6 years now. I always order the tonkotsu ramen. Pre-covid it was absolutely excellent. The soft boiled egg was always perfectly cooked. You could tell they marinate them too which made them burst with even more flavor. The pork cuts were good, not tough, dry, or too salty. During covid, the soft boiled eggs were the first thing to take a hit. They were cold in the center and you could tell they were changing their methods to a more prepped style and not making them fresh. I don't mind this but I don't want to be able to pick up on it so noticeably. I haven't had a good soft boiled egg since pre covid. Now, they are just hard boiled. Not cold anymore which is nice but not soft boiled. The new change though that has compelled me to write this small novela is the pork cuts. They suck. They are dry, tough, and so salty. They ruin the broth and I had my first arguably bad tonkotsu ramen here yesterday. I'm giving 4 stars for all the years you were a comfort for me but please, turn these trends around. It is not worth $25 after tip for cold eggs, dry meat, and a broth that is now seasoned horribly because of the meat. I love this place so much and don't want to see it fail. Please, whatever you were doing pre covid, if you can, please go back to those methods. I miss my favorite comfort meal. read more

Love it! Was looking for a place to eat close by and i'm so glad chose this one!! The service was great and the food was amazing! They give you a good amount of meat in the ramen (not thin, just perfect) and it was so tender and juicy. The ambiance was nice, very chill and calming. Will definitely come by again! read more

Hokkai Ramen & Sushi - Shoyu Ramen, and Chicken Teriyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Came for the sushi, stayed for the ramen. The ramen is amazing. Tonkotsu Ramen. The bone broth is really good. Not clear because of the other ingredients, but the satin texture of a crumb free, deeply flavored, and well cooked broth. The pork was tender, flavorful and chunky big for ramen! Be prepared to take your time, as the noodles will take a minute to finish cooking at the table, as ramen does! Not a fan of soy eggs, and they don't use them! Perfectly cooked soft(ish yoke) boiled egg, and this is the first time I've ever tasted bamboo that I liked, and I loved the flavor. The service was great, the people super nice, restaurant was comfortable and clean. The sushi was fine. Competently prepared list of usual suspects, and they have soy wrap if you aren't a fan of seaweed. I'm really picky about sushi so this is worth checking out! read more