Ototo Sushi

Ototo Sushi is THE place for the most delcious fresh sushi and japanese cuisine in the Seattle area. The food is elegantly presented, the chefs and servers are very friendly and professional. My husband and I eat sushi quite often in the area and we have noticed that even during a recession time that Ototo has even increased the quality of their food. They are amazing and the price is quite reasonable as well. We very highly recommended this restaurant which also has an excellent atmosphere. Pros: Fresh Sushi and friendly professional service more

I live about 3 blocks from Ototo and was home sick not wanting to cook dinner. I called to order takeout sushi, BUT no one answered the phone. Not even a recording. I thought it was strange and maybe they couldn't hear the phone so I called 10 more times. Still nothing. So, I figured I would just drive there order and wait for the food. Upon arriving I told them that they may want to check their phone and that I would like to order something for takeout one of the waitresses barked at me ""We are not taking takeout orders right now!"" and kept walking. I told her that had they answered the phone I could have been saved a trip there, to which she had no answer and just waled by again. I checked their website to see if i had made a mistake and they had specific takeout times listed...they do not...needless to say my first experience with Ototo will also be my last. I would rather go somewere outside teh neighborhood than ever set foot inside their establishment again! Cons: rude service more

I lived in Japan for 3 years. I have had sushi at Shiro’s and Saito’s which are widely believed to be the best in Seattle. I just don’t think that they are worth the money. I spend $100.00 at Shiro’s for dinner. At Ototo we only spend about $50-60. and I can tell you, Ototo is just as good or better. It is very hard to find really good sushi in the States. They all use American grown rice because Japanese rice is so expensive that they would have to charge you $15 for a roll! It is impossible to get the “real thing” without Japanese rice. That said making good sushi rice is an art. It takes years and years to learn how to do it properly and consistently. Hutch-san, the main sushi chef, is a master. His rice is never cold. He gets great salmon from somewhere! His otoro is bangin’ and his negitoro is usually made fresh on request. His side man Takashi does great work on the rolls too. They offer a variety of non-traditional rolls that you can find at most American sushi restaurants, but we stick with the traditional old school stuff. The food from the menu is ok, but not our favorite. The tempura is good. The gyoza is frozen and I don’t recommend it. The udon broth was very weak when we tried it. We never ever sit anywhere but the counter. I suggest you do the same. Enjoy the art of sushi making. Pros: Authentic sushi at a fair price. Cons: Not the greatest hot food. more

If I could give Ototo a 0, I would. We went with a group of four for dinner on a Tuesday evening - it was warm and nice so we asked to sit outside. After seating, our waitress left to tend to other tables, which is normal (obviously). However, we waited. And waited. And waited. After waiting more than 15 minutes for anyone to come out and acknowledge our presence, another group came and sat outside as well. They were there for less than five minutes when the waitress came out and asked if they had been helped. They said no, so we piped up as well that we hadn't been helped either. \r \r From the time we ordered (and we had already been there a good thirty minutes just waiting for tea and water), it took an additional 65 MINUTES for our sushi to come out. We had only ordered four rolls. By the time our food came out, the other group had already eaten, paid, and were long gone. \r \r Our drinks were never refilled, our waitress never came out to check on us, and for the first time in all of our lives, we left no tip. The service was that terrible! And it wasn't even busy! I have no idea what took so long but I will never eat there again! more

Based on the ""best of"" list in Citysearch, a friend and I went to this restaurant last night. The salmon seemed really fresh, but other than that, this seemed like a typical sushi establishment to me. The decor wasn't anything to write home about. Pros: Fresh Salmon Cons: Atmosphere more

\r I love Japanese food, sushi in particular, and am pretty picky when it comes to the best locales in town....I lived in Japan for 4 years, so I am somewhat of a sushi snob...somehow or another, Ototo had never been on my radar until I went last night..silly me. \r \r The sushi at Ototo is incredibly well priced, and the decor is fantastic. I appreciated the light use of wasabi, as it was well balanced and the fish was pleasantly fresh. The plate presentation is great, and the staff was polite and friendly.\r \r The reason that I can't give Ototo 5 stars - First off, the sake menu is decidingly lacking, as there's nothing on the menu besides basic, cheap stuff, while places like Mashiko's and Umi have a wide variety of great things to try. I also felt that the sushi at Ototo was solid, fresh, but not stellar. Their menu has enough variety, but there was no one thing that clearly stood out as fantastic. Their piece size was a bit on the smaller side, like a kaiten may be.\r \r I think Ototo's a great deal, the sushi's good, service is polite.....but it's not nearly as amazing as Nishino or Mashiko's. I would definitely go back, but it's not in my top 3-4 places to go.\r \r Pros: Fantastic decor, cool vibe Cons: Sake menu too small/limited, no standout ""must have"" dishes more

Ototo in Queen Anne is an absolutely OUTSTANDING sushi spot. I've had sushi all over the US since the 80s, and honestly, despite getting things I had never even tried before (along with a rainbow roll and the must-have melt me sockeye sushi)... well, I was impressed impressed impressed and more importantly happy. It has Umi and the trendy hotspot sushi spots beat by a landslide and is even, if sushi is truly your craving, a bit better than Nishino in my opinion... only a bit, mind you, since Nishino... well, it IS kinda the best Japanese food in the whole country :) That said, Ototo costs about half that of Nishino but also lacks some of the wildly creative specialties or the ""chef will surprise you gleefully"" option.\r \r So in my most recent visit, I started with tempura... but I wasn't feeling like eating random amounts of onions and broccoli, etc... I saw ""yam tempura"" as part of a roll then asked what was in the veggie temp sampler... yam, of course, but also pumpkin, which was also amazing. They were entirely relaxed about customizing it (no extra charge), and it was positively wonderful.\r \r Next came the most surprising and pleasantly ""holy frickin wow"" part of our meal, black cod that was marinated in sweet sake and grilled perrrfectly then topped with green soy bean sauce and served with grilled asparagus and zucchini on a bed of yummy greens. While the portion wasn't enormous, the flavor and heartiness were well worth the not-so-high cost...\r \r After warming up with those, we went to our sushi and rolls. I didn't care for geoduck, but the rest... mmm! Absolutely the best wild sockeye, and for $4, we got a really good pickled mackerel roll with pickled ginger and things I forget :) Add a rainbow roll, plum and natto rolls, & fondue: only $50!\r \r My only ""complaints?"" The plum paste roll needs more balance to accent the plum, and sniffle, they weren't serving the seasonal fresh rolls at 9pm on a Sunday. With salmon, tuna, avocado, and *mango,* I'll be back! Pros: best sushi ever, great ambience (not loud like many Seattle sushi spots!), service was perfect and helped us a LOT Cons: like many, they stop serving things like fresh spring rolls late, and geoduck and ume shiso kyu weren't anything wowing more

After a really bad experience across the street, my boyfriend and I stumbled upon this little gem of a restaurant. The food is phenomenal and the service is superb. They were friendly, lightening fast, and very hospitable. Pros: good sushi, friendly staff, very fast more

The service was terrible, we waited and waited and WAITED. for water, for food, for our check, etc..... more

There is good sushi in seattle, but this isnt one of them. First off, the atmosphere is not fun, its boring. Sushi is usually a fun experience- its interesting, this isnt\r \r honestly, there are a couple of great sushi places, and if you want great atmoshere go to OHANA, in belltown. Not only do you feel like you're on vacation, the food is great. Its more hawaiian style-but you'll enjoy all of it! The best handrolls in town...HANDS DOWN. more

I went to this website and read the reviews...I was hesitant to still go but then I asked a few people in the area what is the best Sushi place in Seattle and they all mentioned this place, how could I go wrong?! First, I live in LA and travel 2-3 weeks a month around the country and find lots of great places to eat, this was not one of them.\r \r 1. 7pm Friday night in a highly lit not so crowded restaurant and they were out of Otoro and Chutoro. Did I mention at 7pm Friday for the audience favorite sushi winning restaurant Ototo was OUT of TUNA. Enough said.\r 2. Worst Hot Sake I've ever had. The cup was plastic and tasted melted.\r 3. The I wish I was in Hollywood waiter was bad. Really bad. Not attentive and forgot to bring the simple stuff....water...edamame...yes, we asked a couple of times.\r \r I went against my better judgement and ate at this place and left hungry and got a burger down the street. For my first real night in Seattle and getting sushi, I was left hungry and annoyed. If you enjoy bright lights and people who overpay for anything, have fun but don't invite me. Pros: Attractive customers Cons: Ambience, Parking, Lack of food. more

The service was very poor from the beginning. When we walked into the door, we weren't even noticed for about 5 minutes until we flagged someone down. This would be understandable if the place was busy, but it was not in any way shape or form. Secondly, the industrial style decor was horrible. It looked like someone got horribly confused between the late 1960's and an Ikea store... The food was mediocre and the menu was limited. The place seemed to suit a To-Go rather than a Dine-in. Pros: Good for To-Go on a Tuesday night Cons: Parking, Service, Food, Menu, Over-priced, Decor more

the sushi here is amazing. by far the best compared to that of kisaku,wasabi bistro,dragon fish, tokyo in factoria, most sushi in international district, etc. the service is fantastic. the retro-japanese look to the meals is a pleasant sight compared to that of the more traditional ways. the sashimi just melts in your mouth. eating at the bar is your best bet because the chefs will recommend you sushi if you are adventurous and excited. if you aren't up for that, they still recommend a safe variety in your favor. They carry the freshest fish that you can find in seattle. the salmon and yellowtail along with the toro/chu-toro/o-toro and aji are among my favorites. The seating and service was speedy without reservations. Although, it is always quite packed because so many people love the savory flavors that they have to offer no matter what you order. the combo's are amazing. for girls, the sho-chu (alcoholic drink) is the best because it has a sweet dessert like flavor! as for dessert, the banana tempura is simply delightful. it is light with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup slightly drizzled over the entire plate. i would recommend and have already recommended this to many friends and family. Pros: ambience,service,food,drinks,trendy Cons: parking is a bit difficult more

Ah, I have a special place in my heart for Ototo Sushi. I am a sushi aficionado and this would be a favorite place to get it. I love the location (top of Queen Anne). I love the ambiance (must be feng shui). And I love the sushi (always fresh and tasty). But most importantly, I love the chocolate calzone. That ooey gooey creamy chocolaty calzone has my alleigance. I have not seen anything like it anywhere else. Nor do I care to look. It is as savory as its surroundings. For whoever is not on a diet, the dreamy chocolate calzone is waiting to be discovered by you. more

Wife and I went to Ototo for a romantic second aniversary dinner. We were expecting great service, great sushi and a romantic atmosphere. Ototo delivered on 2 of them. The resturant was very noisy, sitting at a 2 person table I was unable to hold a conversation with my wife sitted across from me. On the plus side, service was prompt and the sushi was excellent. I highly recomend the Ototo roll, the caterpiller roll and the Calimari. They also have a wide selection of fine Sake.\r (+) Sushi\r (+) Service\r (-) Noisy more

Probably Ototo Sushi is No.1 Sushi restaurant in Seattle. My wife and I went there and had 10 different Sushi's, and every single Sushi came with perfect quality fish on top of it. Whenever I go Sushi bar in town, there are at least 1 or 2 disappointing Sushi's of all I order. Try their Tuna which comes from Boston, real fresh Tuna. Also their appetizers are delicious and beautifully presented with every careful attention to the details as with Sushi. I need to come back at least 1/month. Pros: Fresh Sushi's, Serious but friendly Sushi chefs Cons: Parking more

This was my first time at Ototo and it was a perfect experience. The ambience is very trendy yet relaxing; the background music blended well with the restaurant which made my visit more enjoyable. \r I was never a fan of raw sushi but our server Lena was so charming i couldn't say no. The seared abacore was to great and don't get me started on the green tea tiramisu...it was heaven!!!\r I highly recommend this place and no one should leave without trying the tiramisu! Pros: Fresh sushi, friendly service, very good prices more

The place is cute, no doubt (or disgusting if you're not into the modern look), but their staff is inattentive and only paid attention to us when we were ordering, and a brief goodbye when leaving. My bf and I tried to sample the menu, and ordered about $100 in food, including alcohal, but we were hardly tended too. The food came out quickly, but that was the end of it. No refills on our water, nothing. I'll pass on this place, unless I am craving sushi and am in the area.....I mean to-the-point-of-no-control craving. My bucks are better spent at Mashiko's. Pros: Good sushi Cons: Overrpriced, trendy portions, bad bad service more

My fiance and I used to love Ototo but have had terrible service there lately. Here's my advice for eating there: Walk inside and (A) count the waitstaff (B) count the number of people waiting for carryout orders (C) look at the occupied tables and count the empty glasses, empty plates, drinkless/foodless tables, and frowns on the customers. These should all give you a clue about how you will be treated while dining there. If there are too few waiters, lots of people waiting for carryout, and lots of unhappy-looking customers, go somewhere else. Seriously. Getting there early is NOT a guarantee for good service, because that's when they have the fewest waiters/waitresses working and the most people waiting for their to-go orders. The waitstaff will ignore you while they prepare delicious to-go orders. If you decide to take a risk and eat there, I recommend ordering one type of food, not a mix. For example, don't order an appetizer, edamame, a hot dinner, and sushi, because the kitchen staff won't/can't coordinate these and you will likely get your appetizers after you've filled up on sushi. Or, in the case where someone orders a hot meal and the other orders sushi, you might as well be dining alone because one of you will be finished with your meal before the other's food arrives. To give Ototo some credit, the food there is actually quite good--if it's served immediately. But don't count on it. Pros: Great sushi Cons: Slow service more

We enjoyed a great meal at Ototo last night. We enjoyed it even more when we got our check and saw how reasonable the prices were! Two appetizers, one miso soup, six pieces of sushi, two rolls, a small bottle of premium sake, and one dessert for under $65?!! Wonderful. On top of the food, the service is friendly and prompt, the atmosphere is comfortable, and the location is great. We will definitely go back. The only thing that really confused us is how empty the place was. We made a reservation since it was a Saturday night, but it wouldn't have been a problem to get a table. I'd still suggest a reservation. It seems like the kind of place that could get busy. One final note: Check out the desserts. They're incredible. Pros: Great desserts, Unique sushi, Excellent value more