There is a starter on the Nishino menu that I would commit crimes for. Heinous crimes. It's that good. A shitake mushroom cap, perfect tuna, seared foie gras, and a red wine reduction. Two mouthfuls of bliss. This is one of the most well-executed examples of fusion that I can imagine. The sushi is impeccable, and there are many other lovely and delicious dishes on the menu - all well worth trying. Great sake selection, and a Pearl Martini that should not be missed. Nice service, but it is definitely crowded - and the last time I visited, the dining room was far too warm to be comfortable. ...But that amazing appetizer is what lingers. Make reservations. Dress lightly. And consider having a criminal defense attorney on retainer - just in case. read more

I took a friend here for her birthday and we both decided to do the Dine around Seattle deal taking place. I started with the albacore tuna tataki with ponzu sauce and it was delicious and the sliced jalapeno placed on top gave each piece a nice little kick, the albacore melted in my mouth. The birthday girl went for the Pacific oyster and maitake mushroom tempura with the seaweed salad, in her words it was delicious and I take her word for it. For my main entree I wanted to go for the assorted sushi and roll but there was salmon and I'm odd and do not like salmon so I skipped it and went for the broiled black cod which was marinated in miso, the cod was amazing, the three pickled like salads that accompanied it were not so amazing and neither were the eight bones I pulled out of my mouth from the cod, one poked the roof of my mouth and it still itches, one bone is acceptable but eight bones in one tiny piece of fish not so acceptable to me even though the cod was amazing. The birthday girl went with the assorted sushi and roll she said she enjoyed everything but the salmon skin roll, it just wasn't to her liking but everything else was wonderful. For dessert we both went with the sorbet of the day which was a nice refreshing ending to the meal and the server was nice enough to put a candle in the birthday girls. Our server was actually outstanding the whole night, explaining every dish, making sure everything was fine and never letting our tea or water glasses become empty. I will definitely be back to try their sushi because everything I saw looked fresh and tasty. read more

Having being offered a choice between Sacramento and Seattle, I quickly accepted the Seattle assignment and promptly headed to Yelp. Exclusive omakase anyone? For exclusive omakase you need to reserve a seat 24 hours prior to going, ostensibly so that they can procure the exclusive ingredients. I should have been more specific and requested a seat in front of Nishino. Overall, service was impeccable all night. Like Matsuhisa, the chefs direct the wait staff to ensure prompt service. The seats in front of Nishino were packed so Mori (skinny tall guy) was my chef. He did a great job although mostly by the book. Perhaps on my next trip he'll open up a bit and serve me some crazier things. I did get a chance to talk to Nishino a bit at the end, he was amused by my enthusiasm for sushi. So here is the list for exclusive omakase: - first appetizer: raw oyster, sockeye salmon rolled over a single piece of asparagus, amaebi with wasabi aioli and tomato, and something else cooked. No ankimo tho, disappointed! - Spanish mackerel servered in a wine glass with a slice of carrot and the tail end of the mackerel fried and sitting up in the glass. Interesting twist on aji tataki, although I prefer it sashimi or sushi style. - Seared tuna with foie gras, shiitake and red wine reduction. Perfection... While many of the cooked specials owes a lot to Nobu's distinct style, the shittake/seared tuna/foie gras pretty much trumps anything I've had at Matsuhisa. Personally served to me by Nishino (yeah!), this was the shining star of the night. - Albacore sashimi salad with fried lotus root and red onion soy dressing. Very good although I felt that if they had cut up the albacore into more pieces (instead of leaving it as two huge chunks) it would have been better. - Maitake Mushrooms, squid, asparagus salad with yuzu dressing. This one was great, I definitely appreciate good mushrooms.... especially Maitake. - broiled eggplant with crab meat on top. Totally forgettable dish. The eggplant was good but overpowered everything on top of it. - halibut cheek served with greens and golden mushrooms in a dashi filled soup. Very very good, although at this point I was feeling full and eager to see how they would handle the sushi part. - sushi. Mori asked me if I liked uni and I replied "are you kidding me?" So one piece uni (super fresh), one piece toro (unbelievably soft, melted in my mouth), one piece kani. Then six pieces of their special roll which is hamachi with jalapeo, avocado on top and ell sauce. The jalapeo gave it a good kick without being too overpowering. After seeing the couple next to me order a multitude of choice sushi, I started feeling left out and told Mori to "keep it coming." He gave me two more pieces of toro, shiro maguro, spanish mackerel (yum). I also requested one piece hamachi, one piece kanpachi and Mori hooked up belly cuts of each. Their sushi was excellent in terms of quality and execution, it definitely ranks up with Kitsho and Oga's. However, it was somewhat lacking in uniqueness i.e. Howard at Kitsho pairing up salmon/king salmon, toro/chutoro, searing the sushi. Or the insanely creative sushi from every omakase dinner I've had from Toru Oga (hint: check out my profile pics). - new style sashimi (scallops). I saw the picture on yelp so I had to get it. Unfortunately the presentation was not the same. Mine was less artistic and had diced celery on top. Still tasted great, but I prefer new style whitefish sashimi. - desert: lemon-lime and shiso sorbet served in a wine glass. At this point I was defeated and mildly protested when the waitress said I had dessert left. The shiso was very unique and tasted great. I mentioned to Mori that they should serve black sesame sorbet which I have only seen at Oga's. Damage: Definitely not as bad as Nobu's. The base cost of the omakase was $70. The sushi itself is priced very reasonably. I was pleasantly surprised. Note to sane people: $70 for good omakase really IS a good deal. My friends all still think I'm crazy though ... Overall it was a great fusion omakase dinner and definitely recommended. Their fish is extremely fresh and the cooked specials are on par with the dishes you'll find at Nobu's. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of raw dishes on the omakase, but rectified that by ordering more afterwards. If you are into the traditional omakase you'll need to tell them up front. But definitely get that foie gras dish ... read more

This just might be the best sushi in Seattle. I admit that I've not tried them all, but after many tastes elsewhere, none has surpassed Nishino. We like to sit at the sushi bar. It's amazing to watch the chef work his magic, and so much fun to tell him what you like and than see what he might come up with or suggest. The wait staff can also suggest an amazing sake if you are into that. read more

My experience tonight at Nishino embodied what a five-star rating should be. I had the Omakase dinner which spanned mild to wild, delicate to bold, soft to crunchy, and plain to extravagant. Where other sushi establishments get an element or two right -- some may have a supreme quality of fish but epic fail with the rice -- Nishino was holistically incredible. The rice was made properly with healthy amounts of mirin and had a perfect consistency and temperature. The fish was delicious and delicate. The presentation was both thoughtful and complimentary. The service was quick and friendly. I was most impressed by watching the lead chef. He seemed so serene and at peace with himself and his surroundings. He smiled while preparing the food, didn't talk much, and worked with surgical precision. He is a master at his craft and a true artist. My friend asked me tonight "So, does this mean you have a new place to take your ladies out to impress them?" The answer is yes. I have found a new favorite in Seattle for sushi. read more

A number of years ago, after tromping around the Arboretum on a misty day, dressed in typical Seattle fashion, my sister, her husband and my young niece and I were hungry. Hungry for sushi. I had heard good things about Nishino, so we drove over there. It was the very very start of the dinner hour. Like 5pm or something. We walked in and there was not a customer in sight. Which wasn't surprising since it was so early on a Saturday evening. The host took one look at us and said that all the tables were reserved. As if. I'll never go there. It was so rude. We weren't that ragamuffiny AND no one else was in there. Expletive, expletive, expletive! read more

*BOOM* The sound of a mind-blowing....... Just stunning, period. I would easily put Nishino up against any of my favorites on the west coast, and in terms of pure fish quality is at a minimum, equal to Shiro's in Seattle. But what sets Nishino apart in Seattle from the Godliness that is Shiro's are a few things. First, the ambiance is much nicer. Better vibe, better decor, better, better, etc. Second, they have a more varied and creative selection of "other" dishes. From the dumplings, to the soft shell crab spring rolls, they were all fantastic. Third, the service is much better. Not that's it's bad at Shiro's, but to me if you aren't sitting at the Sushi bar there you are missing out. Here the servers seemed a little more in step with the Sushi bar. The real showstopper though is the fish. I'll say this again, if you are looking for the best "rolls" in town, just disregard my reviews on any sushi entirely. I could care less about the rolls. When I go to sushi I am there for the fish. That cut of nigiri that literally tastes like butter and would likely dissolve in your mouth if you let it. Every single things we tried, from the insanely fresh albacore, to the probably-still-kicking salmon, to the EVERYTHING ELSE, was just mind-blowing. I could not possibly recommend this place any higher. Only caveat, is that if you are eating and drinking, and ordering like we did, the bill is going to be up there, and if you are a rookie, it may blow "your" mind. =) read more

Diane L. steered us this way for the amazing omakase as a great example of Seattle fare. Nishino totally blew us out of the water and started our weekend trip off on the right foot. I'm not going to bother going through the different courses in the omakase, I can only use the same descriptions so often so instead I'll just highlight the amazing quality, freshness and creativity of some of the dishes. The omakase is $60/person, and since we had 2 couples we decided to order one round per couple while ordering some extra side dishes. My favorites for the evening were the scallop ceviche, hamachi in jalapeno oil and miso black cod. The black cod especially was crusted in a sweet and smoky shell, with soft, melting meat. The highlight was when at the end of our meal, we received an unexpected dessert course of mochi imported from Bubbies in Hawaii! I haven't been to Bubbies in almost a decade and it felt like seeing an old lover. An old, dark chocolate and espresso flavored lover. read more

Delicious place to stop by if you are near the arboretum area. Parking is a little tricky, we almost passed the alley way in the back. We were kindly greeted by who seemed to be the owner of the restaurant. Luckily for us, the wait was only 20mins for drop in and were seated at the bar. I really enjoyed their decorations. It is really bright and comfortable, although the table set up did remind me of dimsum restaurants. Service was wonderful. All the waitresses were friendly and we enjoyed watching the Chef's interact with the customers. Had the Sake in the iced bamboo -- enough for two or three people. Ordered the hamachi kama and sashimi dinner with more albacore, amaebi, geoduck, salmon, and yellowtail sushi. (Ran out of Uni =[!) The quality of the fish was really good. Loved the taste of the yellowtail and albacore. The kama was delicious and had a lot of yummy fatty meat. It also came with a side salad and dressing that balanced out the fish. For dessert, we had fried bananas with vanilla bean ice cream. Pretty good and filling. read more

One of the best sushi places EVER. -- Great ambiance -- Great service -- The Dungenous crab bake is A-MAZ-ING. AWESOME. -- New style sashimi - YUM, I love that sauce. -- Seaweed Salad -- Maguro tona with fois gras (pricey bite of goodness) -- Tara Nabe (When they have it in season) - amazing!!!!! -- Mochi Ice Cream (white chocolate raspberry is my absolute favorite) Oh - and their sushi is awesome. Any of it - all nigiri sushi's are my favorite there. Great quality. I always get the escolar (aka super white tuna), albacore, hamachi, unagi, amaebi, ... those are my staples along with whatever else is freshest. My beau ordered a spicy tuna roll - and thought it was the best he's ever had. I never order rolls here (preferring nigiri/sashimi) - and I was super pleased he loved his staple go-to roll. I first discovered this place back in 2002 - loved it so much I used to go practically every month. (I can't believe I never wrote a review for this restaurant.) I took a break for a year or two and recently got a chance to go back last week with my beau - it's STILL AMAZING. Great place for a night out with your hunny. I LOVE YOU, Nishino. read more

First I wanted to link the menu so you can see for yourself the prices are reasonable. I am not sure what people are talking about saying it is expensive. http://www.10best.com/destinations/washington/seattle/madison-park/restaurants/nishino/ As far as the food goes I want to tell you I am not a sushi novice. I have had sushi in Japan and Honolulu and my experience was it was better in Honolulu and was cheaper and had bigger portions than in Japan. Here is my nation wide Japanese restaurant list. http://www.yelp.com/list/my-nation-wide-japanese-list-new-york Here is my sushi list for NYC. http://www.yelp.com/list/nyc-sushi-new-york-2 Here is my list for my favorite sushi in the country. http://www.yelp.com/list/my-favorite-sushi-restaurants-in-the-us-philadelphia If it was in Brooklyn New York I would give it 5 stars since nothing in Brooklyn comes close. The same for Los Angeles and Queens ,New York. If it was in New York ,New York 3 and half to 4 stars. If it was in Honolulu 3 stars. But I am giving you my sushi credentials so you will understand my rating. I was not blown away but I rarely am when it comes to sushi. I have never been blown away by any sushi restaurant in the lower 48. The closest for me was Sushi Ota in San Diego and that was more for the price and portion size. The value was better than anything in NYC and so portions were larger and Teriyaki was better than anything in NYC. So the sushi at Nishino was good. Not something that needs to be on your bucket list but good if in Seattle. But Nishino does have authentic Japanese desserts and not many Japanese restaurants do.I did not think it was a splurge. I thought it was a good value compared to other sushi restaurants I have been to in the rest of the country. 4 stars for value, freshness, service and decor. The decor is nice, the place is clean. The service was good, no complaints! read more

Nishino - Sushi Bars Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I'm writing this because it pains me that Nishino has an average rating less than 5 stars, and I should have long ago thrown my $0.02 in the hat. Tatsu and his staff have created the best sushi value for the money that I have encountered anywhere outside Japan. And given that I haven't *been* to Japan, well, that's saying something isn't it?! I've been on sushi quest all over the West Coast for the past few years, and the totality of the experience - great fresh fish, creative ingredients and amazing flavors, and friendly service with a neighborhood feel - is unmatched. Nobu competes on freshness, creativity and taste, but at 4x the price and 10x the pretention, I'd take Nishino 10 times out of 10. Plus, it was right down the street when I lived in Seattle, and how can you beat that. Only downside is that the interior and ambiance are a bit plain vanilla, but I can live with that since it's a neighborhood joint. Go there 4 or 5 times, and Nishino or the servers are likely to greet you by name. Favorite dishes include the miso black cod, mushroom soup (only available in Fall - and I don't even *like* mushrooms!), pumpkin mochi (only around Turkey Day), seared white tuna, all of the sashimi but especially toro, foie gras with red wine reduction (an absolute party. in. my. mouth.). I could go on, but instead I'll just tell you to go and order the omakase or the exclusive omakase. At $65/75, you won't be sorry. For the ideal experience, book ahead and get Edward Toma as your server. The man is fantastic, a lot of fun to dine with / be served by, with knowledgeable recommendations on fish, sake, and everything else, always delivered with enthusiasm. As a closing thought, be warned: if you go here, you will be forever comparing other sushi restaurants to Nishino, and they will always fall short. So be prepared to have your bar raised. read more

Wow. I have eaten sushi all around Seattle and consider myself a pretty well rounded sushi eater :-). This place was exceptional. Amazing. We had a variety of dishes and all were superb. We had * Foie Gras and seared tuna. Superb. Rich taste and full of flavor. Would by again * Snow Crab and Asparagus Tempura - amazing. Would buy again * Arboretum Roll - amazing. Super taste and great combination. Would buy again * Curried Seared Halibut Cheek - quite salty, interesting taste against the white meat of the halibut. Would not buy again * Kampachi Usuzukuri - exceptional taste and favors. Would buy again. * Nigiri - Maguro, Shake, Hamachi - wow. Can't say enough about the exceptional quality - would buy again. Will return for sure. Not something for every day of the week (pricey) but exceptional for a date night or special occasion! read more

Nice decor in the room, friendly server (super nice waitress), but the food is average. We ordered Omakese. Sushi - fresh fish, but preparation is just ok. Still a bit 'common sushi' like without special dressing/treatment to the individual pieces (i.e. Shiro). Cod with kale - tasted like a salt block.. like extremely salty. not just mine, but all 3 dishes at the table.. it was remade for us but then it was soggy/soft and bland (like no salt at all the second time). Prawn cerviche - good but super acidic.. lacked some depth in the flavor with acidity dominating Escalar sashimi - tasty! Morel mushroom and asparagus - not bad but simple flavors - salt/pepper. i was hoping for a bit more uniqueness. Dessert was just mochi and fruit. again was expecting some sort of pastry chef creation.. (especially for the price of omakese). All in all, i would skip and go to Kashiba for true world class sushi. or a cheaper neighbourhood izakaya place for cooked dishes. read more

Nishino's status as one of Seattle's best Japanese restaurants has always vaguely bothered be. In my opinion, it's better described as pan-asian fusion cuisine -- not traditional Japanese. I took my parents here, based on its reputation. We lived in Japan and were hoping to find Nishino an authentic, traditional restaurant. The menu is missing many of the items I enjoy from Japanese cuisine, and is instead focused on various fusion dishes with fish, vegetables, noodles, chicken... perfectly fine for any restaurant, and tasty at that; but not genuine Japanese. The prices are also a bit steep. Maneki in the I-District, Tokyo Japanese in Factoria and Koharu in Federal Way all offer better Japanese food at better prices. Visit Nishino for unique and creative fish dishes, good sushi and a fun, modern atmosphere. Don't visit for authentic, traditional Japanese food. read more

Overall a pleasant dining experience. I wouldn't come here too often because it's a bit flat in terms of atmosphere, but a great spot for Japanese food. Something small to mention, but odd: metal faucets that are shaped like bamboo. Well, I thought they were cool enough to mention. Anyway, the highlights... WASABI: You have to ask for fresh wasabi if you want real wasabi. Otherwise, they'll give you the horseradish with green food coloring every other place calls wasabi. In fact, I only found two places in Seattle that have real wasabi and this is one of them. PRICE: A bit spendy, but worth the price. Be prepared to spend $$$ if you're going for sushi on an appetite. PARKING: Not good. Small parking lot for several businesses. Can be a challenge if you're driving a large vehicle. FOOD: I've only had the sushi. Nishino certainly uses the freshest ingredients. The rice amazingly holds together after drenching it with soy sauce. The cuts are thicker than anywhere else I've been in the Seattle metro. This place definitely merits its culinary awards it has on its walls. CHOPSTICKS: Why are they using wooden disposable sticks??? AMBIENCE: Definitely a classy place. It's a good neutral environment for taking business clients. I'm a bit of an eccentric personality and stick out in this crowd, but ... SERVICE: ...the staff have been stellar with their service. read more

Delicious! What a great way to kick off my first visit to Seattle. We got the omakase and every dish was incredible. Hands down the best Japanese (and the most authentic) I have ever had. The person who brought me there lived in Japan for a number of years and could attest to the authenticity. A general overview of our dinner: - Trio of small bites of different tunas and crab, each with a special sauce. - Salmon and tuna in poke sauce with avocado, cucumber & seaweed salad - Pine mushroom soup with flounder & ginkgo nuts - Tempura veggies and oysters - Salmon over baby arugula with pink peppercorn - A white fish (can't remember the name...) over lightly fried green beans and sweet potatoes - Sushi and sashimi selections - Various flavors of mochi with fruit for dessert Everything was very, very tasty! I was also impressed with some of the unique ingredients and the server's knowledge about the preparation of each dish. We also had some oysters on the half shell, beers and sake. All fabulous! I will definitely recommend Nishino to my East Coast friends when they travel to Seattle! read more

While this place may have had glory in it's day, those days are over. What remains of the folklore are merely the high prices. The food quality is good, the service was very good, & the atmosphere pleasant and comfortable. However, as 4 or 5 star sushi restaurants go, this isn't even close to todays standards. I ordered the Omakase, which by definition, is the chefs choice presented with their own interpretation of the fish. What I received was an uninspired plate of regular cut fish. The message was clear, the original vision was gone and what remained was cold knives and cold fish. This is easily the harshest review I have ever given but I do so hopes it sparks internal soul searching and a renewed sense of purpose to rebuild. read more

This place has so many reviews, just read a few of them and you will get an idea of how great this place is. For anyone that has not gone, the only thing that I would add is that the prices aren't nearly as high as the $$$ rating it has received on Yelp. If you are buying sushi or rolls the prices aren't that much more then your average sushi joint. They do offer several more exotic dishes that can run up your tab. Don't let the $$$ rating from Yelp keep you away, the food is excellent and you will find the price to be very reasonable for the incredible food quality, service and atmosphere. read more

I've dined here twice and each time we've ordered from the omakase menu. Both times, the omakase menu was different, but very good. Each dish is very unique. We also ordered side orders of oysters and soft shell crab, which were just delicious! My most favorite thing about the menu is the mochi dessert served with fruit! For me, this is probably the best Japanese restaurant in the Seattle area. It's definitely more on the fine dining side, so it would definitely be a good place for a romantic date. read more

Hands down, the best sushi in all Seattle. I've been here a few different times, but last night was there for a birthday celebration with my hubby. First off, everyone we spoke with from the hostess, to our waiter, to the owner behind the sushi counter bidding us fairwell, - everyone was very friendly and attentive. Now the food, a little pricier than your average sushi place but the food is reflective and worth every penny. We started with miso soup & their house salad (get the half - it's big). Then two rolls, and the salmon, albacore, and tuna sushi. Everything was delicious, but the albacore was by far the best. Tastes like sushi butter. Also, another thing to note is the place looks super kid friendly for the parents out there. And I would make reservations for a weekend night - the place was packed. read more

Okay I debated whether it should be 4 stars or 5. Having had sushi many times in Japan, I can honestly say that Nishino brought back memories of great sushi. Hence the 5 stars. The freshness here can be counted on. The hamachi here is SO good. Tempura is also done right here as in NOT all greasy & stale tasting. Great traditional sushi & then the chef does some creative "fusion" dishes that are really interesting and very good. Fusion can be a disaster if the person creating it doesn't know what they are doing. Here they know and they deliver some great things to try. The toro tartare with caviar is incredible. So is the new style sashimi which is arugula wrapped in whitefish seared with extra virgin olive oil. More traditional is the negi hama (hamachi and scallion) and one of our faves was the kampachi usuzukuri which is thinly sliced kampachi with ponzu sauce. Nice atmosphere, good service with an outstanding wine & sake list I would love to try the omakase dinner. And BTW the chef owner Tatsu Nishino was the chef at Nobu Matsuhisa's original Los Angeles restaurant. Need I say more... Love this place. read more

I may have had an overly positive experience here as we were the first people through their doors that evening. Service was immediate. The people running this place are clearly thinkers. They have interesting takes on a variety of traditional offerings. I was intrigued, but you pay a hefty premium for it. Even their miso soup is untraditional. I'm not even sure I would call this a Japanese restaurant. It's kind of like a whiteboyyuppie-california-Japanese fusion effort. It's not bad. It's quite good. It is also exceptionally targeted for the area it is located. One minor point of annoyance to look for is that the cold sake is served in a cool looking chilled bamboo decanter. The interesting thing is that about half as much sake came out of the second than was enjoyed from the first. Sketchy sake-business! read more

This place is by far my favorite sushi place in Seattle. This is where I take my sushi whores to impress them (yes, I got that word from Mashiko's website). Everything is always fresh here. Go for the omakase if possible but for a week night dinner, I usually stick to some favorites such as uni, hotate, hamachi kama, amaebi. Oh, you have to try their clam miso soup. The clam adds a certain sweetness to the miso broth that elevates this common starter to another level. Tips: call ahead for reservation. This place is always packed. read more

I had a very pleasant dinner here. Despite being very busy (almost all tables full and with lively conversations), it still was quiet enough for a private conversation. Atmosphere was real nice. Staff were polite and knowledgeable. When I was unsure of which sake I wanted, the waiter was able to give me a very good recommendation. The food, of course, was also very good. Next time I find myself in Seattle, I'll be back I'm sure. read more

The fish are fresh and flavorful. Their regular omakase contains a nicely designed series of vegetable and seafood dishes, ending with 3 pieces of light-flavored nigiri and 2 pieces of roll sushi -- and mochi desserts. The dishes have nice flavor but the portions are a bit small for adult men; we had to order a few extra a la carte nigiri at the end. It didn't help that a few of the dishes are appetizingly sour. Next time I would go for the sushi-only omakase -- start with the fish, stop when every last person is sated. read more

Call me a conformist; I don't care! I L O V E Nishino sushi. My husband and I are in our first year in this neighborhood and we both quickly fell in love with the sushi and environment here. The fish is super fresh, the food is healthy and satisfying, staff is great and grabbing a seat at the sushi bar is all you need for entertainment if you fly solo for a quick (but delicious) meal. I've recently had to put myself on Nishino restriction because the twice a week habit I had developed is easy on the lips but heavy on the wallet. Nishino is a bit more expensive than other sushi joints in Seattle but it is completely worth it. Stuffed to the gills! read more

I would have never thought that so much goodness could be tucked away in a strip mall like building in Madison Park. Nishino is dining to DIE for! I have never been a huge fan of sashimi (I have had some pretty bad raw fish in the past), but this place has converted me. We decided to order a huge selection of sashimi and ever piece melted in my mouth. There was no need to eat it with anything else, like ginger or sauces...it was that good! I also ordered the cod cooked with Miso. It was really small, but one of the BEST fish I have ever eaten. Pair all of this amazing food with a bottle of white wine, and I was one happy girl. If you haven't been there yet...GO! read more

When you walk into a sushi joint and the first thing you see is a display hawking their t-shirts and baseball caps, your expectations for the quality of their fish starts to drop. And when you look around and see a pretty bland and uninspiring decor, your hopes really beging to fade. Despite all of my first impressions, Nishino managed to win me over with really fresh fish, an extensive menu and a good sake selection. We started with the local oysters on the half shell (which were amazing), a kanpanchi sashimi plate and then moved on to our favorite nigiris. Everything was super fresh and served with fresh wasabi (you know the fake powered stuff thats really green horseradish with green food coloring - seriously, if you are not aware of the difference, look it up - http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasabi ). In the end, I'd suggest Nishino as a good destination for people who want really good sushi and aren't looking for a hip/modern style or presentation. read more

AMAZING! That is the only way I can describe this sushi. The menu is simple and relatively traditional. The albacore and arboretum roll were delicious. I highly suggest the salmon on crispy rice. It was so flavorful and had great texture. I can't wait to come back to order this again. We also ordered the udon. The shitake mushrooms are the best I've ever had in an udon bowl.They were sweet and full of flavor. The mushrooms add a nice suprise to the dish. I was very impressed. The staff is very professional and friendly. Our waitress recommended the salmon on crispy rice and we are so grateful that she did. This has been one of the better sushi restaurants I've ate at in Seattle thus far. They keep it simple, fresh, and delicious. read more

Recommended rolls: madison park roll (salmon, shrimp, crab and egg crepe outside) house special roll (tuna, yellowtail, salmon and whitefish) this place had great decor, excellent service, and a great sake list! The fish was very fresh. read more

High quality fish. We ordered a couple of appetizers: Hamachi with jalapenos, tempura pepper stuffed with oysters and their salmon on top of toasted rice. Then shared a sashimi plate. Here's what we thought. The hamachi was hands down the best from what we ordered. Although the sauce was stronger in soy flavor than other places that serves the same kind of appetizer dish. The tempura oysters were very interesting concept love that they were stuffed in a pepper but the flavor wasn't all there. The salmon on toasted rice is beautiful with fresh salmon but the taste didn't match the looks. You expect a lot from the looks. After the novelty of the initial bites of the toasted crunchy-ish rice wears off it was still good but didn't delight continuously. Sashimi plate was very fresh they were very accommodating we asked for a substitute fish instead of octopus. Overall 4 star. read more

I consider myself a pretty experienced sushi eater, and Nishino is by far the best in my book. A fun, relaxed atmosphere compliments amazing, fresh sushi at reasonable prices. Their shrimp tempura, and udon noodles are to die for. The mochi is also a great end to a delicious meal. You can really tell with every bite that the fish is absolutely fresh and high quality. Make sure to call in a reservation, as drop-ins are hard to be seated. read more

I was at Nishino last weekend for a good friend's birthday. There were 15 of us and a 6PM reservation was the earliest we could get. Almost all of our party arrived on time for our reservation. Our server immediately took drink orders for each person as they arrived. Our table was split 50/50 for those who chose to order from the Dining Around Seattle (3 course meal for $30) and those who chose to order ala carte. My husband and I chose to order ala carte since it seemed for almost the same price we could order a bigger spread of sushi and side dishes. It ended up working out well for us. The mushroom tempura was amazing, the miso soup was amazing, and the sushi rolls were so fresh! I subtracted one star because while the service was top notch, it was a bit on the slow side. I would definitely consider coming back here though on a less crowded night (and with a smaller party). read more

Nishino is the closest thing I have to a lover. Seriously. If my husband calls and wonders whether I've run off with someone, tell him that Nishino finally got the best of me. Here is all you need to know: The fish is damn fresh and high quality. The service is wonderful. Yum. If you put on your thinking cap and really think about how much money you spend on food and drinks at other places (McDonald's excepted, of course), you'll realize this place is not super-spendy-out-of-control. Oh. And if the food isn't enough to lure you in here, maybe the prospect of seeing famous people will. I sat at a table next to Conan-- that's Conan O'Brien-- last month. It was cool. And another thing: just make a reservation. It's worth it. read more

There are lots of pretty good sushi restaurants in and around Seattle -- Chiso, Shiros and Nishino. I'm not including places like Umi or Wasabi since they take a slightly different approach with their rolls. For some of the more traditional stuff, the three I mentioned earlier are supposedly the best of the best. I had the pleasure of dining at Nishino for the first time this week. It was a great experience all around and I'd certainly come back to try other things on their menu. We had reservations for 5. Some of us ordered off the Dine Around Seattle menu but I wanted to try some of the regular menu stuff as well. The great thing about eating with lots of other friends is you can sample what they have and vice versa. First off, the place is located in a multi-use complex, next to a local fitness center. The decor is warming and bustling with activity. Patrons are seated relatively close to each other and the open kitchen is full of noise and energy. In spite of all this, I still felt comfortable and didn't ever feel the need to shout in order to talk with my friends. I ordered the broiled black cod, a couple pieces of shake (salmon) and the special roll that consisted of tuna, salmon and yellowtail. Other people in my party had the mochiko chicken, hamachi rolls, and other assorted pieces of fish. My cod was amazing. I love black cod in general but this was prepared very well. The fish wasn't over done, still flaky and smooth. It really just melts in your mouth and the accompanying lotus root/pickled sides really help balance the sweetness of the fish. I might also add that they use real wasabi here, so it has a bit of a fine grainy texture but is much more potent. If you're a wasabi wimp, beware -- otherwise enjoy it - it's awesome! There are a lot of great little details the restaurant provides during your dining experience... I'll just wrap it up and say that the service was excellent, the food was great and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone. I will need to try the omakase menu the next time around! read more

I had a friend in town this weekend and her last request before heading back was that we try some Seattle sushi. Since we're familiar with the sushi joints in the Belltown area, we thought something closer might be a good idea. We've heard about this place for a very long time and had been meaning to check it out so this was the perfect opportunity. It was a fairly busy Sunday night and we couldn't get reservations for 4 so we sat at the bar and found that to be a lovely dining experience. We ordered sushi straight from the sushi chef, all the while, having the dinner apps, beers and "hot" plates served to us by a very diligent waitstaff. We tried a lot of the stuff on the other menu but really, since we were sitting at the bar and because this is, for all intense purposes, a sushi restaurant, we had sushi. Lots of sashimi was consumed, the best being the maguro, the hamachi and the "super white" tuna - the last one, I had never tried before. Now I've eaten at many a sushi restaurant, here and even in Japan - I could honestly say this place is definitely up there in my top 10. Lucky for us it's only about 10 minutes down the road, I'll definitely be heading here again, probably on a weekday to avoid the crowds. read more

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place before, but now I must! Atmosphere, Value, Service, Blah blah blah... borinnnnggg, all great. 5 stars! Where this place is simply perfection is in the unadorned, raw (no pun intended... ok maybe pun intended) materials: The nigiri and sashimi here are among the best in Seattle and each piece is fresh, delicious, in perfect proportion, of heavenly texture and wonderful in appearance. Any discussion I have about nigiri fish ends with Nishino. It's so perfect, you don't even need to use soy sauce or wasabi (unless you want to). I very much also recommend anything they have with soft shell crab. I have spent quite a bit of time around the Bay in Maryland/Virginia where the best blue crabs come from (none of this Gulf of Mexico crap) so I know where the party be. After several rather disappointing attempts to get some juicy delicious soft shell crabs in my gullet, I gingerly tried Nishino... Et Voila!! It was a holiday on a plate. Seriously, do yourself a flavor and try the soft shell crab -- you can tell it's freshly dead and also that the chefs know what they're doing (the tempura proportions are spot on and never overpowering). This place truly espouses the quote "Less is more." Don't have much else to add other than bring your gold card and enjoy savoring every second of this delectable delight :) read more

Best sushi in Seattle, hands down. The service, location, drinks, etc. are all great, but go here for the fish - it's freakin' awesome. I feasted mostly on sashimi and nigiri - the rolls were more of an afterthought. The other highlight was the hamachi collar - an amazing dish at a phenomenal price - buttery and delicious. I can't write any more - I'm salivating all over my keyboard just thinking about that meal ... read more

My bf took me here for omakase on my birthday. It was awesome. Each dish was excellent. Beautifully plated, fresh, and delicious. Having said that I don't know if I'd come back because 1. it is pretty spendy and I have no money, and I can get sushi of this quality at a much lower price when I go to Vancouver, BC. 2. Maybe it's me but it feels weird to be the only Asian person in an Asian restaurant. Everyone there was older, rich looking and white. But if that's not odd for you and you have money to spend, go here and get omakase (chef's choice). read more