Legit and authentic, fresh sashimi, good ramen, good service, friendly and inviting, all around great experience

Nakagawa was our go-to place for great Japanese food. We would literally drive 35-40 min to dine here whenever we had the craving for sushi and bento boxes. Yet, it's disappointing to say that we've been sourly disappointed the last 2-3 times we came here. Not sure if it's management change or something happened, but Nakagawa lost its magic with us. 1. The service has been terribly slow and just not inviting anymore. After ordering, we waited easily 35-40 min for the food. I know it takes time to meticulously prep rolls, but after 30 min of just sitting and waiting, you can't help but start feeling hangry. And this isn't just a one-time occurrence - this happened multiple times for us. 2. The bento box quality. I LOVE bento boxes - it was such a treat to dine on so many different Japanese options, like a sampler box of goodness. Ranging from nigiri to sushi, from tempura to the soup, bento boxes have a special place in my heart. Yet, I feel like Nakagawa's bento boxes have sadly missed that mark. The protein (chicken teriyaki/katsu) tastes old and oddly mushy, and the portions are quite small, just leaving me wanting more. Don't get me wrong - the fish is still good. Solid place for seafood, paired with a lengthy wait. But Nakagawa just lost its touch with us, and driving that 30-35 min trek is not worth it for us anymore. read more

Service was great and super fast for take out ! Food is awesome a ton of fish on all of their rolls best sushi in Bothell by far !! read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

We visited for a casual omakase dinner and it was a good decision! Call in to reserve a counter seating for the best experience! Service was attentive as usual, small restaurant but well lit and more than enough room to be comfortable. The omakase set is such great value here. Super fresh seafood. The sake flight was an added pleasure that accompanied the dinner so well. Don't remember all the names of each piece :) but left very satisfied and anticipating our next visit soon! read more

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Another great meal had the spring special / happy hour special with 3 apps deal! Really great option to try lots of yummy food. read more

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One of those spots I had bookmarked when we used to live in Woodinville, finally got to stop by during our last visit. Everything was really good, I loved my bento box because it came with sushi, sashimi and also sauteed sliced beef, so good! A solid local gem. Staff was friendly. Located in a plaza with parking. read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Nakagawa Deluxe Bento Box, Garlic Edamame; Follow me @RimyEats on Instagram - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

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This is a great neighborhood Japanese restaurant. The ambiance felt very cozy inside and the waitresses were very friendly. I got the sushi omakase which came with 10 pieces of sushi. My favorites were the otoro and chutoro - can never go wrong with fatty tuna! We also got a few other appetizers and they were all fantastic. I would definitely come back again. Maybe next time I'll try one of their desserts which sounded great but wee were too full from the beer and sushi. read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Sushi omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

Have never been there. Kind of a hidden gem. It's small and quaint it was a very friendly vibe. No fancy big boat presentation with fancy vegetable art and not needed. The fish very fresh and tender. Will definitely go again. read more

Ambiance, service, food was awesome. Definitely coming back! We sat at the sushi bar and were treated like royalty!

Most authentic sushi place in Bothell. The food was amazing and staff was super friendly. It felt like I was in Japan again!

Love this place! Sad we moved further away but this is the place my husband and I would hit up often when we lived in the area Service is always so nice and plenty of parking in the strip mall. If you come here, order the Kaisen Ball. They took it off the menu but the OG customers knows. read more

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I found this place after searching for ramen recommendations. This place is very good. The ramen is excellent (they have only one on the menu) and the taste was so good that I forgot to take a pic and gobbled it all down. Also, it was an intense day and perhaps I was tired :). I also tried some of the specialty sushis and the house sake. I also found this place pretty packed and busy which is also a great sign. They also have Bento boxes, sashimis etc and daily specials including variety of desserts. This is now on my fav spots list and planning to visit this spot again pretty soon. read more

Excellent Japanese restaurant! Great value during lunch - bento box is my favorite. Options for sushi or sashimi. read more

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Very fresh seafood! Amazing service and casual ambiance. Highly recommend. My husband and I were very pleased.

If you're ever craving legit and superb quality sushi and sashimi, Nakagawa is a MUST! It's tucked away in a hidden corner of an unassuming strip mall shared with a PCC Market and facing a Taco Time drive thru. Although its surroundings don't do it justice, everything else about this restaurant is OUTRAGEOUSLY phenomenal! Serving sizes are just right to be able to share and finish, which allows for room to try so many things! And that's just what we did! Prices are going to be a little higher, but you will be able to taste why. I can't remember the last time I had quality, fresh fish like this in the north end. We tried the fresh oysters and ordered more. The sashimi was magical. My new favorite roll of all time is their Deja Vú roll with soft shell crab, I will definitely be dreaming of this one! The sake sampler was perfect to try three completely different flavor profiles, again tasting the quality. We came an hour before closing, but service was attentive even after closing as the last table to leave. The roll took the longest to come to the table, but it was worth the wait! read more

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Been by this place so many times and never tried it and not have I been missing out. Gave this place a try and I was amazed. Friendly service and quick service. Onto the food: 1) gyoza - crispy outside and soft and piping hot inside and flavored well. 2) tonkatsu was good. The only downside was breading was falling off as though it needed an egg wash to help hold it together. Thick and juicy which is nice. 3) omakase....i am always a sucker for omakase and glad I tried it. A good selection and very fresh. Would defiantly do this one again! 4) yuzu panna cotta....this was heavenly and should be availability year round. Sweet, silky, citrusy/tart. What a combo. I am still thinking about this. Overall a great experience and I will definitely be back! read more

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A very low key and casual Japanese restaurant provides quality ingredients and good food. Nothing fancy here but honest authentic good Japanese food. read more

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Tried to call and order on three different occasions but does not go through. Is this place even still open?

Another great Sushi restaurant in Snohomish county. I have been to this restaurant a few times and todays experience was the best! I came with my friend sat at the counter that I usually don't. It's a little intimidating experience when you sit in front of sushi chefs in my opinion. It was easier this time as my friend seems to know the chef. He was very pleasant. My friend ordered "battera", pressed sushi with marinated mackerel and sea kelp. It's traditional Kansai style sushi I love but not finding at Japanese restaurants around Seattle. It's not in the menu at Nakagawa either you have to request ahead of time. I'm glad she did! Saba fish was really soft melted in mouth, perfect balance of vinegar, saba and rice with a little hint of shiso. I'd like to order again!! I ordered take out platter with lots of nigiris for my daughters graduation lunch a while back and was really pleased about the quality. I order sushi platter from other restaurants like I love Sushi in Bellevue once in a while and find the quality not as good as the sushi I have at the restaurant. So whether you order take out or eat in, this restaurant is a 5 star. We made a reservation at 5 pm when they opened today, Thursday. The tables filled quickly. Lots of sushi flying. They have really good appetizers and soup as well. Geoducks with butter sauce was so flavorful. The clear dashi soup with tamagotodu and crab meat, delicious! Todays special menu is on the white board which should be the best fish of the day you want to try. I tried toro and iwashi, aji, amaebi and ikura. They were all really fresh and delicious. Just the rice amount of sushi rice, not too much. Reasonable pricing makes me want to come back again very soon. read more

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underrated hidden gem approved by my former sushi restaurant owner father. The uni was unbelievably sweet and supple. Calamari legs only is S tier of calamari's. Hamachi was buttery. Negitoro tekka makis are always a favorite. read more

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Fresh sashimi, yummy rolls. Nice tucked away restaurant. It's standard pricy sushi. We did the large sashimi omakase (3 pieces each). We got the nakagawa house, pnw, and scorpion rolls. The nakagawa was okay, but the other two were good. Didn't expect the scallop on top to be so small but still fresh. Would come back again. read more

One of the few not super high end Japanese restaurants that have japanese speaking staff and servers! Their food is really yummy and fresh. The service was excellent and everyone was friendly. The inside is pretty small, so make sure to get there early on a Friday night or call in advance for a table! They have different specials on the board, so if you're not feeling menu items, there might be a special menu option for you! Overall, good place to eat sushi in Bothell area. It's a little expensive for the portions, but I thought it was delicious. read more

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I have been to this place numerous times throughout the years for lunch and dinner. Always enjoyed the authentic Japanese dishes and the simple environment. But my last visit to this place was a little disappointing. The staff put 2 plates on our table - one plate was still fully wet from being washed. I was hesitant to take the plate. But the staff still put the wet plate in front of me. I used the napkin to wipe off the water in front of the server and asked for more napkins. We ordered braised pork belly, shrimp and vegetable tempura, house ramen, large sashimi, baked scallop roll, and Yuzu panna cotta. My friend confirmed the sashimi was delicious and fresh, but she was dissatisfied with the baked scallop roll. She asked them to heat up/bake the roll more but she still did not find the baked scallop roll delicious. My ramen was good as expected. We both liked the shrimp and vegetable tempura which was deep-fried well and flavorful. Parking was easy as there was a parking lot. read more

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Thanks to Yelp I found this little unassuming restaurant that has pretty decent sushi! I came around 5pm on a Friday and the place was pretty packed! A good sign. The sushi selection is not huge but diverse enough. The fish quality is quite good, tho it varies depending on the fish. For example, I really enjoyed my negitoro rolls, as it was fresh and fatty. The res snapper and yellow tail (I believe) on the sushi deluxe were a bit less fresh. Salmon and tuna were decent. I tried the Cloud 9 based on many reviews but unfortunately didn't like it. I found the pairing a bit muddy in flavor. I think that a seared salmon instead of huge salmon chunks may have worked better. I am neutral on the croquettes. It's not bad but not amazing. Atmosphere was nice but not super romantic or anything. There are quite a few to go boxes on a table in the middle of the dining room, so jt kinda dampens the mood for me lol. Pricing is on par with other sushi places in the area. read more

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Loved it! Food was amazing, big portions, takoyaki were huge and hot!! Great service and environment. read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Takoyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

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For a neighborhood restaurant deep in the suburbia of Bothell, Nakagawa sets itself apart as a quality sushi restaurant. The menu is comprehensive, covering nigiri/sashimi items, fishes of the day, rolls, and cooked kitchen items. We ordered a full range from starters, sushi, rolls, and cooked meals; everything was fresh and satisfying. Particularly for Japanese restaurants, I prefer the cooks to be Japanese, and theirs are. Even the waitstaff are Japanese, bonus points! He was very good at answering my questions. I'm definitely coming back. The Food: Vegetable Croquettes, $6.50 - 5 Stars When a Japanese deep-fry is done right, it's magical. These vegetable croquettes are in that category. Magical. The breading is light. The inside is a whipped mash potato with savory tiny bits of veggies. It's so good with the katsu sauce. Sushi: Toro $10, Sockeye Salmon $5.95 - 5 Stars A thick cut of fish on perfectly seasoned sushi rice. Excellent quality fish. Déjà vu Roll, $14.95 - 4 Stars Listed under their popular rolls, the Déjà vu roll is unique having (chopped) soft-shell crab mixed in spicy mayo as the inside. It's topped with seared spicy tuna and drizzled with a divine house-made jalapeño sauce. I like softshell crab a lot, but I learned I don't like it when it's not recognizable. That's on me. Other than that, it's a very good roll. The spiciness is at about 3 stars. Hamachi Kama Yaki, $17.95 - 5 Stars Grilled hamachi collar. Originally, we were put off by the price. $17.95 is pretty steep. Then we decided - F it, call it inflation, and ordered it. I tell ya, this piece is huge! It's easily the biggest and most meaty cut of a Hamachi collar we have ever ordered a.n.y.w.h.e.r.e. If you like a grilled collar, give it a chance. I hope you're as pleasantly surprised as I am. House Original Ramen, $16.95 - 4 Stars This is a house original soup base, served with pork slice, shrimp, egg, fried onion, seaweed, and ginger. Hubby liked it better than me. I'm not fond of the whole sesame in the broth. Otherwise, it's a good bowl of ramen. read more

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I went for a lunch with my friend today and had a great Chirashi for $24! The cut of each sashimi were authentic. They taste like I am back in Japan. I wish I got the photo, I will be back very soon. Thank you very much for your long training. read more

Pretty decent sushi that is unassuming in a shopping center. Everything was fresh and tasty, and felt very welcoming. read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Omakase - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

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My credit card got cloned after giving it to the server. Watch out for that. The food was great and the atmosphere was authentic. Service was also nice as I was on a field trip for a Japanese class and they had people who spoke Japanese. read more

I was already fan of chef Nakagawa when he had an another restaurant few years ago. I was huge fan of his Japanese Yoshoku (yoshoku are primarily Japanized forms of European dishes.) I am huge fan of his Omurice and Hambagu. I recently found out he has been opened new restaurant! NAKAGAWA! His restaurant has very warm vibe and everybody welcomed us so friendly I felt like I came back home back in Japan! I ordered little bit of everything and his Omurice and Hambagu were amazing. Flavor hasn't been changed and I was so happy and excited to tried his dishes again. He makes great desert and Yuzu Panna Cotta and Green Tiramisu are must! read more

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Was looking for a light dinner and decided that sushi would do the trick. Found this place on Yelp and decided to give it a try. Walked in without a reservation on a Thursday evening and was seated promptly at the sushi bar. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. Originally I was just going to get a sushi roll but the specials board had a grilled salmon cheek listed on it and I just had to try it. Man was it amazing. Not sure how often they have it as a special but I would come back just for that! Sushi was great as well. read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Grilled salmon cheek special - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

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Food | I order the chicken katsu lunch bento box, it came with miso soup. The size was decent for the box but I wasn't a fan of the chicken. The California roll was decent. Service | l got here around 12 on a Wednesday they weren't busy. I was seated right away. Waitress was nice. Ambiance | The elevator music was relaxing but it was a little loud. The place is small just tables along one front and side of the restaurant and you can see the sushi chefs. read more

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This is my favorite Japanese restaurant. I love this place this place is so good the services awesome and it's such a clean nice establishment. read more

Delicious sushi with a variety of fish available. It had my favorite soft-shell crab sushi, which is great for me. There's mochi ice cream they have for dessert, which is a perfect small bite to end the meal. Service of the place is great. Our waiter checked in often and made sure we enjoyed our meal. This restaurant is super casual and located in a large plaza. If you're in the area and craving sushi, I recommend trying this place! read more

Comfortably located off of the freeway, with plenty of free parking around the location! Exterior is potty consistent with the rest of the strip mall, but the sign is very modern and inviting. Gives you a fancy vibe, so to speak. They interior does not disappoint, and has a clean bathroom with plug outlets. No changing tables though. The service was friendly and staff are nice, maybe a bit slow. But it seemed like it was one waitress working, so hard to judge during the pandemic time. Menu was very full and included Japanese classics. Priced pretty average for this type of cuisine. No kids menu, but kids eating utensils and plates and a high chair. All of the food came out fairly quickly, and was plated very beautifully. Food itself was ok. There are a LOT of Japanese restaurants in western Washington so it's hard. They almost have a rating scale of their own. It was good, but it wasn't life changing. Although, their yuzu panacotta is with another visit for sure! Yum read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Cloud 9 roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

Our family came here based on reviews, and I am super glad and happy the reviews were right. This place is amazing. I am happy there is a spot near home that has legit Japanese food nearby and no longer has to travel through gridlock traffic to go out to eat. The place is not fancy, but it was really clean. The service we had was excellent. They had sent out a wrong order, and without question, the chef fixed it right away. We are definitely coming back to enjoy their other options on the menu. read more

This has always been one of our go-to for quality sushi. I have noticed sukiyaki is not on their menu any more. This is one place we ALWAYS stay for desserts. The green tea mochi and red bean cake is delicious! read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Chirashi bowl - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

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I absolutely love the ramen and oysters that are served here! Can be really busy during lunch hours but we love the food. read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Oysters - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington

We visited Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant for dinner on a snowy Sunday evening. We e welcomed to an attractive place that felt very comfortable and looked somewhat Japanese. Special menus hung on the walls and there were a variety of tables and places at the sushi bar. The server brought us menus and water and we asked for hot tea which came quickly. The menu has extensive offerings if sushi, sashimi, and kitchen (cooked) items. The server answered our questions and gave some suggestions on our order and we chose bento boxes with good selections. The meal started with miso soup and salad. One had oysters from the "kitchen" selection and both boxes had gyoza, sushi and sashimi as well as tempura. The food was excellent and all fish was great. There was plenty of rice. The server made sure we were enjoying everything and it was a very nice meal. Prices were reasonable and we left warm, full, and satisfied. We will certainly return when we hunger for Japanese food again. Parking is easy but the restaurant is slightly hidden around a corner of the shop building. GPS found it easily. read more

We got take out from this place on Mother's Day. We were utterly disappointed with the quantity and the price for each. My father got the teriyaki chicken and it looked dry -- the sauce was separate but that's all it came with; no side salad or anything. Most Japanese places serve a salad with entrees like this. My mother's udon was small soup size and she just ate from the plastic container... I only got a side of takoyaki and a scallop roll. I was still hungry to say the least. The amount was over $50. I must say, quality + quantity have to really be worth the buck. And this wasn't. read more

Nakagawa Japanese Restaurant - Chicken teriyaki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Bothell, Washington