Tsukushinbo

I first went to this restaurant during my first week living in Seattle two years ago. It still hasn't dulled since then, and the food is simply sublime. The menu is more traditional than fusion Japanese food, but if you sit at the bar and talk a little with the sushi chef, and ask for ""inspiration"" or ""your own expression"" the answer will be every bit as amazing as the ""regular"" food. From the outside it doesn't look like much and on the inside you are slightly hesitant as it can be claustrophobic when crowds are large. This restaurant is not large-family friendly though that doesn't seem to stop the locals from coming. If you are in the International District and have a craving for sushi, the choices are daunting, but Tsukushinbo offers a quieter, more personal touch. I had the crunchy roll and a separate roll which is not on the menu, but is a masterpiece! My wife had onigiri and kanarage and both were simply awesome, despite being mainstays of the Japanese scene. The only complaint I have is the parking - someone traded paint with my car and didn't leave a note. Use the local parking lots if you want to avoid damage, since the streets are hilly here. Pros: Awesome food, friendly if busy staff Cons: claustrophobic, parking more

I like to go here every once in a while just to eat their amazing daikon salad with chiso dressing because it is amazing. This is a small mom and pop restaurant which makes it that much better compared to all the huge companies. The service is great and they offer a great variety of fish. Their food in general is that which you can make at home but would take you a while. The sushi is very oiishi too! This is a must try japanese restaurant. It is two of the best that I enjoy in international district. The other is fort st. george, which serves a different variety of japanese cuisine. This place is great! Pros: food,service Cons: parking,waiting more

This place is awesome! My boyfriend and I go there at least once or twice a week. It's family owned and the service there is great even though there is usually only one waitress for the entire restaurant. I usually get the Saba (boiled mackerel) combination dinner with tempura which is really good and my boyfriend gets sushi and beef curry udon. Everthing I've had there is delicious (beef teriyaki, gyozas, tofu etc.) Their Japanese fried chicken is great as an appetizer too. It gets busy on the weekends, but the food makes up for the wait. Pros: Awesome food, cheap prices, and friendly service! Cons: Small and gets busy on weekends. more

I've been to a number of japanese restaurants but tsukushinbo has the best broiled mackeral ever. Two pieces lightly salted and broiled just to perfection. It's served with salad, rice and a bit of shredded radish for $10. It's a family owned local joint that gets pretty crowded so you might have a wait but the service is always very friendly and with a smile. I have great sushi experiences here too, just ask for what's fresh (you should do this always anyways) and you're set. Pros: good food. Cons: parking. on busy nights, the wait. more

One of my favorite Japanese Restaurant!!! I felt like I was in Japan. This place was filled with Japanese people. Outrageous menu!! Always ask what the specials are because most of the best appetizers are scrawled on the board. I was surprised by the sevice, just one waitress handling the whole restraunt. I go there 2-3 times a week, always something new. VERY VERY CHEAP!!! Pros: food, friendly, cheap Cons: parking, busy more

Without a doubt, this is the best kept secret in town for Japanese food. Tucked away in a little hole in the wall (literally, there are only 7 small tables plus a 7 seat sushi bar) on the outskirts of the International District, you will find authentic, top notch food served with sincere warmth and friendliness. For Mariner fans, this was Kazuhiro Sasaki's fave place to eat. The double ($11.95) or triple ($14.95) combination dinners are incredible bargains. Sushi is top notch fresh and better than Seattle's top sushi places for about 2/3 the price. The decor is old and worn but it is clean. The location surely enables the owner to have excellent prices. I have never been a fan of paying for decor anyways. One thing for sure, the sushi chef (and owner) is the absolute friendliest, most cheerful sushi chef in town. Pros: sushi/sashimi, broiled mackeral, combo dinners more