Food and quality of meat was really good. Recommend the lychee beer when it comes to drinks. Service was also pretty good as well. I was expecting more from the seafood creamy udon but was a little lack luster but still good. Overall ambiance also good, I liked how clean and separated all the tables are. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Everything here is very solid. The ochazukes come in nicely flavored broth. The short ribs and seafood ate nicely seasoned with salt and other spices. The gyozas are nicely fried. The food is on the expensive side though it came down to $65 per person and not very big portion at all. The server also tried to kick us out saying that there's a reservation after us, which wasn't mentioned when we first got to the restaurant. Ambiance is nice good Japanese vibes read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Short ribs, seafood platter, ochazuke, gyoza - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

No. 1 Japanese bbq place in the Seattle area. On the slightly more expensive side but the food is top notch.

We came here for my husband's bday dinner. We love exploring Japanese bbq places. We didn't get to try it when the Bellevue location was open, so we made a reservation for this location. I made a reservation two weeks before the date to make sure we have a spot at 7pm on a weekday. We arrived and the restaurant was quite busy. The service was very good and all staff were helpful, nice, and thoughtful. We ordered plenty of food to try, and all of them were qualify and delicious. The beef was fresh and flavorful. Most importantly, we had the Japanese A5 Wagyu steak, and it was so delicious! Besides, we ordered the Ishoni beef combo, scallop, vegetable combo, mackerel, Ishoni rice, and takoyaki. All delicious, flavorful and fresh! We plan to come back here again for sure, A5 Wagyu steak is a must try! read more

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Amazing selection of meats and fresh vegetables. I frequented the Ishoni in Bellevue before they moved to Seattle, and I'm so glad they did because there's more room for dining and the decor is very modern and chic. 4 of us went for a birthday dinner on a Friday night, it took us 2 months to get a reservation, so we expected the restaurant to be busy. I was pretty dissatisfied with the service at first, because we didn't get our server for about 30 minutes. We tried waving down all the staff (and even the manager) but our table kept getting ignored. We spent almost $400 and tried almost every item on the menu, including 8 oz. of the A5 Wagyu. With all the food, we were full but not stuffed for the price. I'd say come here if you're celebrating a special occasion or want to splurge on some good food! If you can afford it, try the A5 Wagyu, which was super buttery and melt in your mouth. Try a bite plain, then try with the fresh grated wasabi, which was my favorite way to eat it. The Ishoni Beef Combo is also good if you want to try a variety of meats. For drinks, I'm the type of person that likes cocktails but prefers sweet over the alcohol taste. We tried the Strawberry Pink Flow (fruity/Milkis tasting), Milky Way Between Us (creamy/chocolate tasting), and Saiten Lychee Lake. The only one I did not like was the Saiten Lychee Lake because it wasn't sweet nor did it taste like lychee. I would most definitely come back and recommend this restaurant! Make sure to reserve a table way in advance! read more

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Sadly, my rating is 3.5 stars rounded to 4. Ishoni in Capitol Hill is different from old Ishoni in Bellevue. The music is youthful and trendy Japanese music. The decor is modern and clean but lacks charm. But, the most disappointing thing is the grille is gas rather than charcoal. The meat tasted fine but was missing the smokiness you would have got from charcoal (see picture for old Ishoni). I think the service could have been better. We ordered the Ishoni beef combo (which has different cuts of beef) duck breast, and pork intestines. No waiter explained to us how long each should be cooked for. We were okay cooking by ourselves, but I would have appreciated the extra guidance given that they were all different types. Also, no one refilled our water either, and it wasn't a busy evening (Sunday dinner). The ochazuke was okay. The rice was a wee dry, and the dashi was a bit too salty. Didn't taste too much salmon flavor. I guess I was expecting a little lighter broth to balance out the protein heavy meal. Also, the bowl didn't keep the broth hot for too long, so it's not comfortable to drink cold broth. read more

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I popped in yesterday for dinner and had such an amazing experience! The staff were very sweet and attentive and my food came out in a timely manner! The ambiance was classy and I enjoyed the music they played. I started off with the fried oysters then had the shrimp and Ishoni rice--all very delicious! I finished with the sesame panna cotta and it was the perfect way to end the meal! They also gave a palate cleanser that was icy and citrusy, I loved it! I will definitely be back! read more

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So delicious! I made a reservation way ahead just to avoid any waits! We got the beef sample platter so we could try everything and also got the four slices of A5 Wagyu. They made that one for us on the grill and served it to us in the egg dip. It was sooooo delicious and rich and buttery and amazing. We got some gyoza to make sure we were full and ended with delicious fried ice cream! It was my first time having it. The crunch with the ice cream is nice! read more

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Such a cool experience. The food is absolutely amazing. Definitely make a reservation bc the wait time can be very long. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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This was my first time going to a Japanese BBQ place but if this place is indicative of other Japanese BBQ places then I have to admit that Japan has the superior BBQ. Its definitely not cheap, but you can tell that the meat quality is really high especially since most of the beef has little to none marinade. The unctuous meat also pairs well with their very cirtrus-heavy dipping sauces! Definitely check this place out! :) read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - A5 Nigiri - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

10/10 would definitely come again. My friend and I had a 9 PM reservation for Saturday night. We got there at 8:52 PM and were seated immediately. We ordered the beef combo, pork belly, fried calamari, and fried ice cream. It was both of our first times at the restaurant and it was a great experience! The servers were super attentive and constantly checking in on us. Most barbeque places let your grill get burnt to a crisp before changing it. However, our grill got changed way before then. The food pictured below was the perfect amount for two people. We had originally planned on going to an AYCE restaurant, but I suggested we try Ishoni Yakiniku instead. Most AYCE places are around $40/per person. I felt like we wouldn't have eaten enough to get our monies worth, so we might as well go to a higher quality restaurant with better cuts of meat for the same price. Our total for a beer, 3 cokes, calamari, beef combo, pork belly and a fried ice cream was $111 before tip. The beef combo is highly recommended as each one had its own unique taste. All of them melted in your mouth upon first bite. With the pork belly, you got to choose which marinade you wanted on it. The options were pepper, spicy miso, and barbecue. We went with spice miso and didn't regret it! It had a very small kick to it and was extremely flavorful. The calamari was okay. I struggled to finish it as it was kind of tough. I wouldn't order it again and would rather get another cut of meat for that price. Overall, the prices are amazing for the quality and quantity of meat you're getting. They have built in vents on the grill, so we didn't even slightly smell like barbecue after the dinner! The ventilation system is the best one I've ever encountered. They even gave us a complimentary mini (Pomelo?) slushy after the dinner! There's street parking right out front. My friend and I Ubered because we were worried about finding parking, but there was a decent amount of spaces available out front! I would suggest making a reservation in advance as it seems like there's no room for walk-ins. Early in the morning, I tried making same day reservations and the only time that was available was 9 PM! The kitchen closes at 10 PM, so I'd recommend getting a reservation for 8 PM. Definitely a must try spot in Seattle! read more

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We went there for dinner at 2/8. We didn't know how to grill the thick-cut beef tongue, so we waited a long time for the server to help us. However, at the table near us, the same dish was being grilled by the server. At the end of the meal, the dessert was a small cup of shaved ice. When my cup was brought to me, its base was broken. I informed the server, but she simply said, 'That's fine.' Well... if the cup is broken, shouldn't she ask if I am okay? Why is she saying that's fine? read more

Loved Ishoni when it used to be in Bellevue and it taste just as good, if not even a bit better in Seattle. The space is way bigger now and I like the additions to the menu! Reservations on Yelp! It used to a lot more difficult to get a table in their previous location. Premium beef tongue and wagyu short rib are our top picks for meat. Japanese yam also good for the grill. Tried the beef tongue stew and sweet potatoes with cheese, which were nice little sides in addition to all the grilled food. To end the meal, we got complimentary small servings of yuzu sorbet which was good as well. For 2, we spent around $130 w/ tip. Well worth it! read more

Their selection of quality food and fantastic service makes this the perfect spot for a date night or anniversary dinner.

A really unique experience. Made a reservation through their website and they were really accommodating to our requests. We we're celebrating an anniversary and they provided us a booth that gave us good view of the outside and the restaurant while staying secluded to our own area. Since this was our first time at a japanese bbq spot, we wanted an introduction that would be worth our money. We went with the ishoni beef combo which I thought was good for two people. If we were really hungry we'd have gotten more meat but broken our pockets. Overall, the meat quality was very good--just wish we couldve gotten more. read more

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LOVE this place!! We got beef set and our favorite was the wagyu! We loved the king oyster mushrooms. Also recommend the ishoni rice as a side. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Great food. very good flavor, couch was slightly low so not as ergonomic, but it's not that big of a deal. Overall great experience.

The closest to Japan yakiniku we had! Service is fast and the servers were nice. Highly suggested to make reservations though. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I'm just out of words. Genuinely. I remember the night I had dinner here. It was my birthday dinner and I was treated out to this gem of a restaurant. The meat was so fresh and high-quality. I felt like I could eat it raw. I swear, I barely put it on the grill. and I'm still doing fine and healthy. The wait was a bit long. But it was all worth it. If you feel adventurous, I recommend trying the raw octopus (salty, yet fresh, pairs well with seaweed and a side of rice). I also heavily recommend a good soup on the side (always need soup if you're eating barbecue). Oh my God I completely forgot about the seafood udon (creamiest, most rich, most fresh dish ever). The only thing I didn't enjoy was the golden kimchi (it was a bit sweet), just get the plain kimchi. Other than that, I would sell my leg to be able to afford to eat here again. Ambience was also very modern and it felt like fine dining. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This yakiniku restaurant offers the best quality in Seattle. But, I could not find the parking lot!!!

Best Japanese BBQ in the Seattle! The meat so tasty and tender. You have to make appointment ahead or you won't be able to get a table.

Despite a long wait (no reservation) and a cook your own model which I tend to stay away from this place impressed us. Great service, very high quality and reasonable prices. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Beginning our dinner - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I like this place. Good quality meat. It does get crowded so make a reservation! This is a good place to satisfy a meat craving! read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Meat combo - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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tldr; fast service, high quality meat, and tasty side dishes Friend and I visited with reservations on a Tuesday evening - we were seated immediately. After browsing the menu, we decided to get the beef combo, the tofu salad, and 2 smaller bowls of rice. The beef alone was not enough to be filling, so i'm really glad we got the rice. But the quality of the meat was so good! I loved the presentation of the meats as well; the wagyu was my favorite. I wish that the cuts actually had less seasoning because I prefer to eat my meats without any kind of marinade, but the marinade was still very delicious. The salad dressing was great as well, and the rice good to ensure we were full after the meal :) At the end, we were given small complimentary desserts! They did not share what it was, but it tasted like some yuzu shaved ice. I want to return to try the other cuts of meat and the fried ice cream as well. Felt the price was fair for the quality; only expensive food was the meat. Otherwise, the pricing was not too bad. read more

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We cannot stop thinking about our amazing experience here at Ishoni Yakiniku! We came for my boyfriend's birthday to celebrate because he has always wanted to try Japanese wagyu. I looked places up and although there weren't many, this one was definitely a gem to find! We ordered quite a bit so that we could try different things, and we were quite impressed by many of the cuts of meats and dishes that we ordered. There were a few that we could have did without but nonetheless, we ate EVERYTHING we ordered. Our favorites were obviously the A5 Wagyu, which our server J.Q. grilled perfectly for us--her conversation & knowledge of the cuts of meat made our experience THAT much more amazing. We also really like the shabu slice which is also prepared by your server and served with a raw egg sauce--divine!!! I also love a good rib finger cut of beef, so that was a plus! Overall, we paid for parking in a lot across the way but probably could have easily found a street spot (weekday evening) if we wanted to spend the time doing so. It's pretty popular so make reservations. They do allot you a time frame in which your reservations take place so that they can accommodate their next guests, so be on time or call if you know you are running late. Obviously a bit pricey but you are getting high quality EVERYTHING. I took one star away cause it was it was a bit awkward when we first sat down--no servers said anything to us after we were seated, then after the gentleman took our order, we never saw him again and then every person we saw after was also different. One of our servers heard us talking about his birthday & asked if we wanted dessert--we thought this meant they would gift it to the birthday boy, but no. We paid for it. Such a great experience regardless! We will definitely be back! read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - They give you a cute little shot glass of lemon shaved ice to freshen up your pallet afterward! - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Food and meat quality is great and I feel like I'm getting my money's worth. Great ambiance and a cute date night spot. Definitely plan on splurging a little. I recommend getting a reservation through Yelp or on their website. Highly recommend the yuzu sake, wagyu beef short rib, and shiitake mushroom. The mentaiko yam was good but the yam was not cooked properly. We ended up putting it on the grill to cook more read more

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My girlfriend & I likes to try expensive restaurants at least once every other month, so we decided to try out Ishoni Yakiniku this time around. We ordered the A5 wagyu steak, ishoni rice, pork belly, unagi, & wagyu beef short rib karubi w/ salt & pepper. Our waitress cooked our A5 wagyu steak which is nice so you can ensure you don't mess it up & enjoy it to its fullest. The wagyu beef short rib karubi w/ salt & pepper was pretty good as well. They definitely have quality wagyu meat, it was tender & tasted really good. The ishoni rice was a good substitute for white rice, it was pretty flavorful. The pork belly is what I can expect compared to a Korean BBQ restaurant. The unagi however wasn't as flavorful, I had better at other restaurants. Not a bad place to try out but it seems like they do get pretty busy. I would recommend reserving a table beforehand as we did a walk-in & waited about 45 minutes. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - A5 Wagyu Steak at Ishoni Yakiniku - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great service & ingredient quality! Highly recommend the Beef Combo (serves around 2 people), and then ordering extra of whatever you liked best. The A5 Wagyu Steak was $15/oz, but pretty reasonably priced considering what it was and the quality. Was also nice that they grilled the wagyu for us. read more

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Ambience. A Service. A Food. A Price. A Great new place on hill for grilling my own meats! I notice walking in with reservation, establishment filled with Asian of patrons and staff. I felt at home. Make reservations. And you can do thru Yelp. Liked that I got a call to confirm closer to date of reservations . There is a $20 warning fee if you don't cancel within 24 hr. Love the new modern open clean space. Friendly service. As of today, no masks or vaccination. Ordered. Meat set with wagyu, tongue, and other cuts as well as veggie set. I just wish our grill was hotter as I just wanted to sear pieces of thin meats , but for some reason I didn't think fire was HOT enough. Some piece more chewy than others. Changed the grill and reheated and rubbed fat on grill, but in my opinion, the table grill I had was not HOT enough to just quickly sear my thinner meats. (Wagyu). Also, Wish there were more dipping options. Only given a soy and Citrus and butter option. Asked for grated garlic on side. Nice flavors And great clean modern bathroom. Not sure if I want to go back. Just saying. read more

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Not worth the money. Felt like we paid for them getting us appetizer sized meat food quality and ambience was good but not worth the huge amount. read more

For a place with reservations 2-3 weeks out and a line always stretching out the door, the hype is pretty warranted as the meat is so tender, the rice is well seasoned, and the experience that you get when going here is memorable. As usual to jbbq places, you cook most of the meats you get and for more expensive items, like the A5 sandwich, someone comes by to prepare it. Your server also makes sure your cup remains filled and that you can get anything on the menu. As a guy who usually eats cheap cuts of meats, the difference is so wide when you get to try some of the meat here. If you wanted to experience real wagyu, I would definitely reserve a table here. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - A5 Wagyu Truffle Sandwich - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I'm from Japan, and so far this is the only Yakiniku place in Seattle that truly reminds me of home. I love their beef combo, special thick beef tongue, and Wagyū A5 Nigiri. The quality of the meat is really good, and every time I go there it makes me so happy. The staff is friendly/efficient, very clean space, aside from the fact that it's nearly impossible to do walk ins and you have to make a reservation, everything else is so wonderful. When you grill good quality meat, you don't have to grill so much because that'll burn off all the juicy fat and make the meat tough and less flavorful. Grill them just enough to change the color from pink to brown and they are ready to eat. I hope everyone else enjoys their food. :) read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Beef combo - 5 different kinds of meat to try :) - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Definitely one of the best Yakiniku in Seattle for both locals and tourists! Delicious food and great services. Ishoni always gets fresher meats! The new location in Capitol Hills brings a better dining vibe and more variety dishes. Due to more tables, it's slightly easier to make reservations than it was in the old Bellevue location. Reservations are available on YELP!! If you have a bigger party than 6, you'll probably want to make two separate reservations. It's constrained to fit more than 6 people in a table. Gratuity is added for party of 6. Street parking is available and make sure to arrive earlier on Friday and Saturday night. read more

Ishoni yakiniku is a really authentic and great Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) place! I've tried several really good yakiniku places in Tokyo, and this place is as good as or even better than those top yakiniku places. We've ordered ishoni yakiniku combo; although it's a it expensive, we can try different parts of beefs and is enough for two. We also love how their presentations. Highly recommend if you want to try something special and really tasty there! If you are going to this place, probably it's safe to make a reservation beforehand. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Ishoni beef combo - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is somewhat of a conflicting review to write, but in the end, Ishoni gets a 4-star in my book and offers a pretty good experience for any carnivores and meat lovers out there. Have to give credit where credit is due: the reviews are pretty spot on with the beef. We ordered: Lamb chops Beef combo Thick cut of beef tongue Hamachi cama The good: the beef! The beef quality was excellent, and as people say, it melts in your mouth. As lengua lovers (beef tongue for tacos), we definitely enjoyed the beef tongue options, both within the combo and the separate thick cut order. The meat cooks rather quickly, with the exception of thicker cuts, and they were all really good. You can definitely tell that the quality is up there. The bad/mediocre? Well, everything else. As a precursor, I love lamb. Even more than beef. And I got super excited that they offered lamb, so I had to order the lamb chops. But when I received it, it looked pretty small and skimpy, and it was already cooked (which I thought I was going to cook it, as the photo in the menu showed it raw). On top of that, the gaminess that I love with lamb was disappointingly absent and was overpowered by the sauce. Not great. The cama (collar) was alright, definitely not the best. Other local places serve this dish, and it's just butter in your mouth. But Ishoni's tasted a bit over cooked and didn't taste as delicious or tender. Overall, stick to the beef section. Whether it's the combo or wagyu or beef tongue, this place delivers. But I wouldn't recommend exploring elsewhere. With an exception to the alcohol section. The Taiwanese lychee beer is amazing, hands down. read more

This place is amazing and I'm so glad I finally got to try as it's been sitting in my bookmarks since it opened. Reservations are highly recommended and we came for a friend's birthday. My favorite side dishes were the yam fries (like sweet potato, but better), and the mushroom medley (had to make a second order after we devoured the first). Everything was delicious, even the cuts of meat that weren't wagyu melted in my mouth, no exaggeration. We ordered nearly all the beef options and among them, my favorites were the thick cut beef tongue, A5 Wagyu steak, and A5 Shabu slice. The A5 Shabu Slice comes with a dipping sauce made with a raw egg and some kind of soy sauce seasoning that was AMAZING. I wasn't really eating my meat with sauces anyway but this one just enhanced the experience. We also ordered a bottle of the Hibiki whiskey as well as some lychee beers and they were the perfect compliment to our meal. Probably the best lychee beer I've ever had though I despise beer otherwise. To top things off, the tempura ice cream was as good as it always is and made with the perfect ratio of crust to ice cream. You can't ask for more. This is probably the first bbq restaurant I've gone to where my entire body didn't reek of meat when I got home, there are fans built inside the grill so you're hardly touched by any steam and we barely noticed it. I would love to come back. Very special shoutout to Reyna and Shen for making this experience as enjoyable as it was. read more

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We came here for a fancy meal splurge, and it sure lived up to expectations! We made a reservation for 7 but still had to wait over 30 minutes for our table. The meat comes in pretty small portions, but is pricey so be careful! You can try a lot of different types of good quality cuts; the wagyu shabu meat was amazing!! They grill it for you and dip it in an egg yolk sauce mixture and it really melts in your mouth. Our table total was around $350 for 6 people, and I was pretty stuffed by the end. Service was prompt and good! read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Quality meats. Great atmosphere. Make a reservation ahead of time. Came here on a Sunday night and waited about 30 mins for a seat. I recommend making reservations on Yelp so you don't have to wait. It wasn't packed but consistently busy when we were there. Mainly picked this place for the wagyu in the beef sampler and also didn't want to feel the fullness of trying an AYCE place. This place hit the spot. We ordered about 5-6 things and that ended up being around the same price as eating at an AYCE spot and the quality is waaaaay better. We ordered the Ishoni beef combo (beef tongue, flap meat, beef rib finger, beef short rib, wagyu beef short rib) - this was a great value and fun way to try out all the cuts of beef. Everything was perfectly cut and very fresh. My favorite was the beef rib finger. It has a little gristle on it so there's a chew and snap. Most of the beef you didn't have to cook long and it was delicious with or without the sauces. Pork belly (salt and pepper, spicy miso) - thinly sliced and delicious. The spicy miso has a good kick. But be careful if over cooked this can become hard and too chewy. Pork shoulder - this cut is a little tough. I would probably not order again. Once cooked it had a tendency to be a little dry. Mushroom medley - will pass on ordering this again. They said it was like a soup but it was mushrooms in water. It wasn't particularly flavorful and not much about it going on that I would reorder it. Chicken cartilage - wasn't what I expected. The cartilage was good but the chicken that was attached to it gave it a weird texture. The cartilage was snappy but the chicken was mushy. It was also cut into bigger pieces so it didn't cook well. Will prob not order this again. Ishoni rice - first time trying this and it's delicious compliment to the beef. Normally I don't have carbs with my meats but this was a surprise. It has scallions and seasonings on top that make it delicious. All their meats come in three flavors, salt and pepper, BBQ or spicy miso. If you get your meat with a marinade then make sure you get grill changes often or else it gets burnt on the mesh. They were really good about coming around and changing the grill often. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Chicken cartilage, salt n pepper pork shoulder, miso spicy pork belly - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Workers were very nice and friendly! The food was amazing and very high quality meat. Would've ordered more but this was our first time and we're indecisive plus we got there 25 mins before the kitchen was closed. read more

Ishoni Yakiniku - Barbeque Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ishoni bbq is amazing! The meat is tender, fresh, and well-marinated. Whether you use their dipping sauce or not, the meat tastes great either way. The cuts are done perfectly - not too thick, not too thin. They cook evenly, which is great. Though the grill itself is uneven. Yes, it is expected that the sides would be cooler than the center, but in this case it is by a lot. Meat on the sides don't really cook at any kind of speed. Service can be a bit slow at times, but usually not too bad. Sides and other dishes are great too. The food is also extremely expensive. I could eat at Niku Niku for a third of the price. Regardless though, the food is good enough that I am willing to ignore the cost and give this place five stars. read more