4. Restaurants

Izumi

12539 116th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA, 98034
  • (425) 821-1959
  • Store is closed

Izumi Menu

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.

Visit below restaurant in Kirkland for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 12106 NE 124th St )
Einstein Bros Bagels ( 320 Park Pl Ctr )

Visit below restaurant in Kirkland for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 12106 NE 124th St )
Einstein Bros Bagels ( 320 Park Pl Ctr )

  • Jeannette C.

    Best sushi on the eastside! Very fresh fish, great service!

    (5)

  • Katie V.

    Izumi is pretty much my favorite sushi place. My mom's not a big fan of sushi but they have other entrees that she really enjoys, so we still get to come here. Izumi's sashimi is SO delicious and fresh: you bite into it and it melts perfectly and it's just exactly what you want in sashimi. I live in San Francisco and there's plenty of good sushi (that I occasionally get but yeah tons of sushi at more appealing prices too), but even so, I don't think it'll ever compare to Izumi because the wait times for those restaurants can be over an hour, whereas Izumi is usually crowded but not too crowded to not be seated immediately. I get a lot of really cheap sushi in San Francisco and so it always blows my mind when I come to Izumi and I remember why fresh sashimi is worth the price. SO WORTH THE PRICE. SERIOUSLY. Their lunch specials are also a great value. I've had sushi three times in the past three days and still can't get Izumi out of my head, I want to go as soon as I visit my parents again!

    (5)

  • Dan P.

    this is a good solid local place. i wouldn't drive more than 5 miles to eat here but for the locals, the sush is ok and the cooked food (dontaksu, etc.) are all good.

    (4)

  • will p.

    Fantastic sushi and ambience. Very fresh. The Bento box is superb...and the steamed Japanese veggies in the Bento could be the best veggies I have ever had. A MUST. Cooked to perfection.

    (5)

  • Aaron B.

    Great restaurant! The dinner combination with the steak and sushi was great and easily fed two. The salad was average, miso soup was good, the steak was very good, and the sushi was also very good. The spicy scallop rolls were surprisingly good, too! Service was fast and friendly. Would recommend for a Japanese meal at casual restaurant in the area!

    (4)

  • Sophia W.

    This is our go-to place for sashimi and sushi on the East side. The fish is quite fresh and delicious. There are two different experiences at this restaurant: at the bar or at the dining area. We have done both and its quite different! At the bar area, you can actually interact with the sushi chef. You can only order sushi, and nothing else. It is also quite pricey since all you can order is sushi. Overall the experience is quite good since you get to learn more about each fish! At the restaurant area, the selection is much bigger. There is both hot food and sushi/sashimi. Our go to order is the Chirashi. You get a decent selection of sashimi and the portion is quite big. The crab roll is also quite good. It is a busy restaurant so sometimes the wait can be long, but this definitely will satisfy your sushi cravings!

    (4)

  • Joey W.

    This is possibly the best sushi place you can find in Greater Seattle area. I live on the eastside so I have been there a couple of times and I have tried almost all of their items. Uni sushi, tamago sushi, various tuna sushi simply astounded my taste buds. Their soft shell crab and Yosenabe soup is probably the best you can ever taste. Sushi at this place is nothing inferior to, if not better than the sushi at the famous Shiro's Sushi.

    (5)

  • Cheryl J.

    It was my first time at Izumi after having it be recommended several times. More than half of the clientele is Japanese so i always take that as a good sign! I had sashimi and it was very fresh, well prepared and delicious as well as chicken teriyaki. It was a generous helping and we had leftovers. My husband had tempura which was fried very nicely (not too greasy) as well as chicken teriyaki - he enjoyed his dinner very much. The server was very kind to us as we have 2 young sons who are a bit restless and she gave them kid friendly plates and chopsticks and she loved that they ordered edamame and california rolls on their own (which were also very good) and the California roll used real crab. All in all, a very good dinner! I stopped short of a perfect rating because its a touch expensive compared to some others (although worth the extra in my opinion) and our seat was the first one in from the doorway so there were lots of people watching us eat as they waited for a table. Glad we got there before 6pm otherwise there was definitely a wait. I will definitely be going back, it was excellent. Thank you Izumi!

    (4)

  • Jose P.

    We liked that it was very authentic and had good prices, their teriyaki and the bento boxes generally speaking were yummy but the location is inconvenient for us plus it's generally crowded.

    (3)

  • Colette H.

    I saw some people writing about the lack of obnoxious mayonnaise laden flaming steakhouse style sushi creations and had to post a review. That stuff is AMERICAN invention. Just like buffet style Chinese food. You will not find it at a traditional Japanese restaurant like Izumi (or is it easy to find in say... Japan). If you want janky junk food sushi, go to a Japanese steakhouse. (Don't try to order a McDonald's hamburger at a gastro pub.) Izumi's food is awesome. It's very traditional and this is why Japanese (like my mother) flock here. Aside from really enjoying the TRADITIONAL sushi, I also love LOOOOVE the black cod teriyaki. AGAIN, Izumi make traditional teriyaki. The Americanized version is thick and overly sweet. If you want that, please go to Happy Teriyaki. Real teriyaki is only slightly syrupy in consistency. It glazes the meat rather than sits on it. Their black cod is very mild, not fishy to the point that my fish hating mother loves it. We've been going here for the past 6 years since mom moved to Issaquah. It's a family favorite. However, it is traditional so expect a authentic experience. If you don't know what that is, learn. So don't question whether a bunch of Japanese people know what chicken teriyaki is. Perhaps you ought to pause and remember where you are from. It's totally fine if you like bastardized American versions (because I do too, I like my junky heavy sugar laden teriyaki chicken sometimes). However, don't assume that it's traditional. Plenty of non Italians make pizza. Plenty of non Mexicans make tacos (another bastardized food. Mexican tacos have cilantro and onion, not sour cream, iceberg lettuce, and tomato). By the way tamago sushi is normally sweet. Sheesh...

    (5)

  • Protyusha D.

    Decent food but the service was pretty average

    (4)

  • Nina T.

    Very good traditional Japanese food. I've gone twice and done omakase sushi, where the chef selects for you. I was happy with the selection -- they didn't fill the plate with cheap filler like cooked shrimp or tamago. The pieces of nigiri were well-cut and flavorful. I ended up with uni both times, though, so if you're squeamish about sea urchin, you should specify that. You won't find deep fried California rolls covered with avocado here. However, the basic rolls they have seem to be very good. I'm a huge fan of the spicy scallop roll. The spicy sauce is tasty but not overpowering, and the quality of the scallops still comes through. Don't think they take reservations. The first time I showed up on a Friday night, I had to wait awhile. The last time, I got seated right away. YMMV.

    (5)

  • randi i.

    Good Japanese food but I can see why other reviewers say the service is bad. It gets so busy it feels like they just want to turn over the tables. No refill on my water and my husband was handed the check while he was still eating which is really rude. One of the better and more authentic places on the eastside but they should really work on their customer service if they want people to return.

    (4)

  • Kristi H.

    I've been going here since I was a little girl with my parents. It's my favorite local Japanese restaurant. The gyoza is prepared the best. The fish is super fresh and perfect. I love a great teriyaki salmon. So many great appetizers you don't even need to order a dinner. The lunch special was fantastic with all the samples of items I wanted. Tempura is light and fluffy. This is my FAVORITE!

    (5)

  • Eddie A.

    This place never disappoint.

    (5)

  • Carrie M.

    Izumi is, hands down, my favorite Japanese restaurant! I've been coming here for about 10 years now, and they have never once disappointed me. I've sampled a fair portion of their menu, now, and I am always happy with my choice. The teriyaki salmon is succulent and amazing. Their sushi is at once artful, delicious, and generous. The tempura is perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. The Bento box is perfect for those of us who have trouble choosing from so many amazing dishes. The atmosphere is very low-key and comfortable. The serving staff is extremely attentive and friendly. I am always greeted by more than one person, and I get 3 or 4 who say, "Thank you very much!" every time I leave, all bowing and smiling. The prices are average to slightly below average. It feels like such a great value, and I've been so completely spoiled by their standard inclusions! I more often have lunch than dinner here, and I still always get a wonderful, roasted green tea, salad, miso soup, and sunomono with my meal, regardless of what I order. You MUST try their lunch special. It's always a great deal and just delicious! I hope you'll enjoy them as much as I have.

    (5)

  • Ashley T.

    Izumi is one of the best traditional Japanese restaurants on the Eastside, with amazing service and unbelievable food that feels homey but high quality. It's nothing fancy, but instead all of the focus is on the food. Both times I've been here, I've had the makunouchi. It's essentially a bento box that comes with a perfect helping of each dish. First, it comes with six slices of sashimi that are very generously cut. The quality of the fish is one of the best that I've had in the area, with a buttery texture that melts in your mouth. The chicken teriyaki is also very tender, with a teriyaki sauce that is definitely not your overly sweet Americanized flavor. Next, there is an assortment of tempura, including shrimp, sweet potato, zucchini, and mushroom. The batter is lightly fried and doesn't overwhelm what's inside. The dipping sauce also adds a really nice flavor to the crunch. Finally, there is an assortment of steamed and marinated vegetables that feel simple but so delicious. The entire thing also comes with miso soup, salad, a cucumber salad, and rice. It's completely worth the money you pay, and you get a great sampling of the restaurant's highlights. If you're searching for quality, the search ends here! Izumi delivers on all aspects, and I need to make it a priority to make a visit whenever I'm home.

    (5)

  • Tom W.

    Freshness shows Really impressed with the quality of sashimi and sushi at this restaurant operated by authentic Japanese staff. No fishy smell and the fish glistened. Ordered the sashimi dinner, izumi makunouchi dinner set and a separate order of Uni. Uni is sea urchin, where some consider it to be rather an acquired taste for sushi fanatics. When it is fresh like this meal, it has a creamy buttery texture and smells like sea breeze. Very easy to eat. If stale, it smells of athletes foot! Overall, the meal was more than enough for 2. Will definitely be back. Solid 4 1/2 stars.

    (4)

  • Ali J.

    I went during lunch hour and place was jam packed. This is located on totem lake west mall so parking was difficult to find. I ordered sushi plate and it was delicious. I will definitely come for dinner.

    (5)

  • Krista T.

    I am no Sushi snob, but Izumi really impressed me. I am used to conveyor belt sushi with a side of sriracha, but this place is more traditional style sushi and I loved it. The flavor was on point and the pickled ginger was tasty. I did a lunch carry-out and the staff was pleasant and kind. I will absolutely be going back.

    (5)

  • lisa s.

    Fresh seafood. Try the fried chicken app...... Super juicy! I usually get the omasake (variety of raw fish, rice, veggies...) I've also had the black cod. Perfectly cooked. Waitress is very attentive and sweet. Just like my grandma :)

    (5)

  • Mark A.

    Wow, I was expecting more. The selection of rolls was disappointing. The overall flavor was just not good and the price was even worse. This was our first try with sushi on the east side moving here from Seattle. Not a good start. The staff was friendly and the only reason we gave the star.

    (1)

  • Amy B.

    Our favorite sushi spot in western Washington. "Sushi lunch" on weekdays is where it's at - affordable ($15) and Shito-San is a true legacy. He only accepts the best quality fish. Highest recommendation for this establishment.

    (5)

  • Vishnu N.

    Dined here on a Saturday night with the wife and kids. At 6pm when we arrived there was only a five minute wait. By the time we left at 7:30, however, the line was out the door! What we got: 1) Small edamamme 2) Soft Shell Crab Tempura: This was delicious, definitely recommend 3) Large Sashimi Plate: All 11 pieces were excellent and thoroughly enjoyed 4) Spicy tuna roll, a scallop roll and a shrimp tempura roll: wife ate these and loved them 5) Chicken Teriyaki: Kids split this but I tried it. Definitely not a dish I would recommend, stick with the Sushi The total bill for above was $71+tip All in all the service was a bit spotty but with those crowds it was fairly understandable. I would like to come back midweek. This is definitely one of the better Sushi places on the east side.

    (4)

  • Big Bold V.

    A first measure of any ethnic cuisine is the clientele... And if this is any measure, this restaurant is the real deal! Loved the food every visit!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth P.

    Izumi always delivers fresh, perfectly seasoned, delicious food every single time I've been here. This is where I bring friends and family from out of town.

    (5)

  • Kyle T.

    The food was quite good and the atmosphere strikes a nice balance between casual and sophisticated. The only down side is that the service is just shy of terrible...one glass of water never to be refilled...

    (3)

  • Kimberly K.

    Ebi tempura maki and black cod teriyaki are still to die for. If you have room afterwards, the coffee jello is a treat - black coffee flavored jello cubes mixed with sweet cream. A delicious end to the meal. An added bonus: the staff are super nice here, and if you don't feel like waiting, call in to order takeout!

    (5)

  • Mark Y.

    Still the best in the Seattle.. No fancy rolls with strange sauce.. no massive menu with a bunch of cocktails. Straight up traditional japanese restaurant. Again, sit at the bar.. eat things that Shito San makes.. most of which are not on their menu (or any menu anywhere).. the price is high as expected for fresh fish, but it's lower than some of the more 'well known' places in Seattle. Love it.. been here way too many times and will continue to return.

    (5)

  • Christie J.

    Woah, this place is a hidden treasure! Tucked away behind other shops, Izume brings a taste of the sea perfectly! The fish is excellent and fresh. The tuna and salmon melts in your mouth. My mouth is watering just typing about it! If you enjoy sashimi, check out this place. Pure gold I tell you! Goooolllddd!!!

    (5)

  • J E N N P.

    This is by far the BEST sushi restaurant on the eastside. We decided to check out Izumi based on the fantastic Yelp reviews. No disappointments here at all. The service, wonderful...! The sushi, fresh and delicious....! Everything was amazing. Can't wait to go back again...!

    (5)

  • Jeff G.

    Went for lunch with my three daughters. Sushi was good. It was very crowded. Service was a bit slow. It took over 30 minutes to get our food. We also had chicken teriyaki, and tempura shrimp with vegetables which was very good.

    (3)

  • Phillip S.

    The most authentic Japanese restaurant on the east side! Everyone spoke Japanese, and I even got to order that way :) Very fresh fish. Ordered the Chirashi set at dinner and really enjoyed it. The prices were high though, my bill was over 40$ for one person.

    (4)

  • Autumn F.

    Let me start by saying the food was good and our waiter was excellent and attentive. However, it's not mind-blowing enough to compensate what was one of the worst dinner experiences we ever had. Never in my entire life have we been accused of not putting enough money for our check. The way it was handled was so utterly disappointing that I would never ever go back. I went with two friends. At the end of dinner, a friend and I put down a total of $45 cash (two $20s and five $1s) for our agedashi tofu ($6), tonkatsu dinner ($15), chicken teriyaki dinner ($16). We told the cashier, cash first then the rest on the card. Easy right? Apparently not. The credit card came back charging a $57.90, which is way too much for omakase sushi ($29.90 was what was written on the bill) with a coffee jello ($4). We waved our waiter down to double check. Here was the sequence of events that seemed like it took forever: 1. Waiter said he would double check. Came back, said the cashier said we only put down $25. We said no, it was $45, we all counted the cash. 2. Waiter went back and check again. Came back with the handwritten bill, told us that the cashier told him that we only put down $20. I said no, we put down a stash of cash, it was $45. Waiter told us that he would ask the cashier to come talk to us because he didn't handle the bill. Fair enough. 3. Waiting, waiting, waiting... Cashier literally put bill on our table, said, "Thank you very much." and darted. We looked and it was the EXACT $57.90 bill. Are you freaking kidding me? 4. Of course, the cashier was nowhere to be seen. We waved down our guy, told him what happened. He left to check again. Came back and said the cashier told him we only gave her $25. It became a he-said-she-said thing. It was very upsetting at this point, "Where's your manager? How can we move forward?" 5. Waiter left and came back again. Finally told us that they would waive the $57.90 transaction and charge the correct amount. Excellent, that was all we wanted. 6. Waited some more... Another completely different gal came back with a new charge, $47.90. What the heck?! It was still the incorrect charge! Whatever, we just wanted to leave. Signed it and left. It was the worst possible way to end the day. We are never going back again. But let me repeat and say our waiter guy was courteous and apologized to us many times. The cashier never came to talk to us though. We concluded that the cashier was SHADY. She probably pocketed the cash herself. That or the restaurant is shady. We don't know. All we know at this point is when you go and eat there, triple check your bill, ask to split the checks, or take a picture of the cash you are going to put down.

    (1)

  • Matt T.

    The food here is delicious. My fiancé and daughter loved their sushi and their chicken teriyaki was great. High quality food definitely. It does get a little crowded during lunch time and servers spread themselves a little thin, but are still courteous.

    (5)

  • Connie E.

    Izumi has the best sushi in all of Seattle! Very, very fresh and plenty of variety. Sit at the sushi bar and let the sushi master choose the best of the day. He is also totally entertaining - great sense of humor.

    (5)

  • Anna P.

    They are very classy family owned business. The service is great, the sushi are superb, the ambiance is genuine.

    (5)

  • Brian C.

    I get take out from here all the time and the fish is always super fresh. My wife would give this place 3 stars because the sashimi is cut very thick. Personally I don't complain about that :) If you're on a date, sit at the sushi bar. Staff is very friendly and they have a huge variety of fresh fish.

    (4)

  • Eric L.

    Man, this is almost as good as it gets sushi-wise in the Seattle/Bellevue area. My sushi/sashimi experience at Shiro's will always be the best I've had in the States (as I've spent time in Hokkaido, and let me tell you, nothing will ever beat the fish there.) HOWEVER, for those who aren't looking to drop $100+ dollars (rather feasible at Shiro's), then Izumi's got you covered, every single time. My favorite is the Izumi Special Makunouchi, which has everything under the sun, chicken teriyaki, beef, sashimi, egg, tempura, you name it. After perusing the menu for a good 10 minutes or so on my first visit, I decided what the hell, just get the menu item that has (almost) everything, and it was the best decision I could've made. The fish was superb, buttery-soft/melt in your mouth good, and the it was "FRESH" (in all senses of the word.) My most recent visit friend's chirashi bowl also had the same FRESH fish that was in my makunouchi bento box. He was equally awestruck by how delicious everything was. It's all served with miso soup and sunomono salad. While the sunomono salad tastes like any generic variation you'd have at most Japanese restaurants, the miso's hondashi broth is hearty and less salty then most, which is a big plus. Service seems to vary depending on which server you get, some are a little shier than others, and may need to be reminded of a few small forgotten items (extra bowls or utensils), but they learn very quickly and the next time around, no such trouble is encountered. For once, I envy the East-siders (just kidding there's a lot going on over there!) I will be back to Izumi's time and time again. It's worth paying the 520 toll ;)

    (5)

  • David O.

    Ate dinner on a weeknight. The sushi is delicious, but a bit pricey. Unfortunately, the service is rather slow and inefficient.

    (3)

  • Amanda K.

    It's a little far, but WORTH the drive. Soft shell crab tempura is solid, so is the agedashi tofu. Fish is fresh; thumbs up!

    (5)

  • S. J.

    I don't think that I would ever go there again. The food is just horrible.

    (1)

  • Dj P.

    Came in for a quick lunch, and was not disappointed. Service was quick, sushi was very fresh, portions were generous. I'll definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Richard N.

    Good omakase sushi. It was fresh had great variety, really good job. So I havent been to too many sushi joints in Seattle so I cant say that this is worth the drive, but all I can say is we beat the rush and fools were waiting for like 45 min to get their hands on this nigiri. We only ordered the sushi and like I said really fresh, good variety, mos def will come back when we up in the 206. Go Seahawks!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Lynn L.

    Best sushi in the great Seattle area!!! Much better and worth your money than the famed Shiro! Please do try the sushi bar and you would never regret for it! Another tip: check their Facebook page for the new things coming for sushi bar before you go.

    (5)

  • Nico M.

    Food is delicious.... But DO NOT come on a Saturday night. Service is slllllloooowwww.

    (2)

  • Crysteaux S.

    Ordered lunch sashimi platter plus separate rolls and sashimi (or maybe it was nigiri)-- egg, surf clam and eel, the most life-changing, fragrant, rich, slightly crispy eel of all time. Also, interesting veggie rolls and yummy, clean Cali roll. Can't wait to go back and try cooked dishes too! Lovely decor and just a polished experience with everything in good taste. Clean eating but multidimensional, satisfying flavors.

    (5)

  • Kelsey T.

    The lunch specials are a steal and provide a good value for decent sushi/sashimi. The fish seemed pretty fresh, but also tasted like it was still partially frozen. Hopefully, this is just because I came early during the lunch hour and that the fish would be less frozen later in the day. Sashimi slices were HUGE, definitely much bigger than I expected, so you definitely feel like you get your money's worth. I also got a side of tempura, which was nicely fried. Service was great, the waitress struck a nice balance with checking in to make sure I had everything I needed and letting me enjoy my meal uninterrupted. Would definitely come back if I was in the area, but not a destination spot. Overall, would give this place 3.5 stars.

    (3)

  • Matt S.

    I love this place, it's authentic Japanese food at very reasonable prices and served up by cute Japanese grandmas. Their cuts of fish are very generous, far more generous than the typical sushi place in the Seattle area, and the quality of the fish is always very good and fresh. They offer live urchin too! The one nitpick I have with Izumi is that service can get really slow during their busy times, such as Saturday night and a fairly long wait is typical. I guess they are a victim of their own success, so I can't really fault them. As a customer, I'll continue to wait in line because Izumi is simply much better than other local Japanese places. If you enjoy Izumi, I'd also recommend Miyabi in Southcenter - it strikes a similarly great balance between quality and value down south for authentic Japanese cuisine. The only downside is that for some reason I always get seated next to weird fundamentalist religious people, maybe there is a church or cult nearby?

    (5)

  • Carolyn P.

    Izumi does not need more praise but I find myself surprised I have never taken a moment to share my admiration for this wonderful place. Old school and so tasty, everything expertly prepared. I enjoyed the King crab salad tonight, with the knife skills so evident that it was a jewel. Everyone really enjoyed their orders of tempura and sushi: and the service was spot on. They were very sweet to the three year old we had with us: I do not always find that to be true. Go: it's really the best.

    (5)

  • Mitch G.

    Excellent sashimi and black cod. Reminder to those who want the raw egg with your sukiyaki , you have to request for the egg. Great service too by Kelly. Will definitely come back.

    (4)

  • Kenji O.

    In Seattle, you'll generally find two types of sushi restaurants: 1) The trendy "fusion" sushi restaurant that serve mostly sushi rolls with skittles, cotton candy, and even dairy products - cream cheese, anyone? If you're lucky, the restaurant might serve deep-fried rolls with 585 different types of fish, 7 sauces on top and serve with peanut butter. Places that serve this type of sushi can be found in Belltown, among a few other areas in the city. Think Umi, Wasabi Bistro, Momiji and Japonessa. 2) Alternatively, there are sushi restaurants that serve edomaezushi (pron: eh-doh-mah-eh-zuu-shee), or what is considered to be traditional Japanese sushi. This type of sushi is simple, most of the time made of just sashimi and seasoned rice. That's it. For those of you who like the former type of sushi, please stop reading this and search for Umi or some other restaurant. This place is not for you. If instead, you like the latter type of sushi - that is, real sushi, stick with me because Izumi serves the best sushi in Seattle. PERIOD. If you're continuing to read on, then your sushi cred is high. Okay, so let me set up my review correctly. Your first question is who the hell is writing this and what do I actually know about sushi? To be truthful, I think I have a pretty good sushi resume. To tell you a little bit about it, I've been eating sushi since before it was trendy (yes, I'm a total sushi-hipster) and have lived in Osaka, Yokohama, and Tokyo. During my life, I'd say I've eaten some pretty good sushi and consider my cred to be rather high. So, forgive me if I chuckle at claims of knowing Asian food because you're from "SoCal." So how does Izumi stack up here in Seattle? I've already said it - it's the best sushi in Seattle. And yes, I've been to Shiro's (several times), I've been to Mashiko, I've been to Nishino, Kisaku, Chiso, Fuji, Nishino, Miyabi... You name it. These places are all great and I'm not taking anything away from them, but for me, Izumi is simply the best - and it's not very close... It's consistently incredible and always offers fresh fish, great rice (I can't understate the importance of good rice), and their staff is great. It also offers items that I don't find in many other places. So who should come here? This is a place I'd recommend just for people who like traditional Japanese cuisine and want real sushi (read: great fish and great rice served by trained sushi chefs). Seriously - Izumi is place is legit and if you can hang at the sushi bar, then your cred is high. Really - put it on your resume and add me as a reference. However, if instead the thought of sitting at the Izumi sushi bar makes you want to runaway screaming, then PLEASE - I beg you - go to Umi. You will love their california rolls.

    (5)

  • Jared W.

    Real Japanese cuisine. Me and my gf went here the night before Valentine's day and had the bento box for dinner. The miso soup was great as was the sushi and sashimi. I was pretty full about half-way through the bento box but the sushi was so good I just had to finish it all haha ! Also the wasabi was nice and potent !

    (5)

  • Mehmet A.

    One of the best sushi place in east seattle. Fresh fish, great staff. We were there with our two kids and staff were very helpful

    (5)

  • F B.

    One of our favorite Japanese Restaurants.. The teriyaki black cod melts in your mouth and the chicken karaage is always consistently prepared. A few of the servers have been there a long time! It's nice to be welcomed by Japanese sushi chefs! Just sayin'.

    (5)

  • Brian S.

    Perfect. Best sushi I've had on the east side. My other favorite is Shiro's in Seattle.

    (5)

  • Crystal H.

    I normally only give 5 starts for restaurants with outstanding service, food AND a view. But, the food here is so amazing that it deserves 5 stars just for the excellent food and servers. On my most recent visit I had the lunch special which included Chicken Teriyaki and tempura. The meal started with their wonderful little salad and soup. Then came the Teriyaki chicken, and the tempura prawn and vegetables. Chicken cooked perfectly, and they make their Teriyaki sauce in house to order. The tempura was crunchy and delicous, everything cooked perfectly. Oh, I almost forgot amidst all the delicousness the special also included 2 pieces of Sashimi. An amazing deal for only about $14. There food is so wonderful it is hard to describe, so far above and beyond any other sushi restaurant I have been to. I have only learned to love japanese food in the past couple years, so I still have many places to try. But, every time I crave japanese I just want to go back to Izume, why take a chance on some place new ?

    (5)

  • Maria G.

    WOW this place is aaaaamazing! This restaurant has been in Kirkland for 25 years. It is a local family-owned national chain restaurant. They have lots of loyal customers over the years. This is NOT your typical teriyaki place - definitely a classy (but affordable) place to go. Service is absolutely great. Once I walked in, I was greeted by the waiter and directed to a table. They bring out hot napkins for you to clean your hands before dining. Their main dishes (teriyaki, sukiyaki) all come with side dishes such as rice, miso soup, salad, dessert. Their dishes are averaged around $15 to $30. I had the beef sukiyaki and it was $18, it was absolutely and amazingly delicious! Everything tasted very fresh and yummy. The waters are friendly and checked on us several times. They are extremely attentive. They are not like many other restaurant waiters just check on you to "do the job" to get the tips, they actually are attentive to every single table. They speak conversational English well even though they are not super fluent. Some waiters wear traditional slippers and I think it is cute. After visiting here, my standard of service has gone up again for all restaurants. I like the interior design. It looks small from outside but they actually accommodate many tables inside (2 person/table, 4 person/table, large 6+ party table). Bathroom is super clean. They normally get busy between 6:30 and 8pm and it gets a bit loud. They are closed on Mondays. On certain days they only have dinner and not open for lunch hours. So make sure you check out their business hours prior to your visit. I would DEFINITELY come back here again.

    (5)

  • Rahayu S.

    The food is good, but the service is incredibly slow ( even when it's not crowded). Last time we ordered take out we were waiting a really long time, and when we asked how much longer it would be the waitress snarked at us to "just wait a little longer". They don't check up on their tables and forget to bring out stuff every time. Too bad because the food is authentic.

    (3)

  • Martha T.

    WOW. The people here know their stuff. Everything was excellent. Fish was fresh, rice was perfect, service was polite and quick. This was our last sushi dinner out before we get pregnant and we could not have picked a better spot.

    (5)

  • AirmidyamatoAmore O.

    Best sushi restaurant around this area! I've been going their since I was a wee baby. My dad's been going their even before I was born! Really fresh food sushi! I really don't have any bad things to say about this place since I've been going their since I was a baby. All I can say is that I can't even describe how good their food is. You will just have to go and taste :) It is a bit on the pricy side for some people, but the quality and taste of the food is totally worth it. Sadly, I'm a poor college student so I can only go like on special occasions but I can assure you that you won't be disappointed :) Unless your taste is like way up there and you're like I only like whatever stars food. haha, please don't take this seriously and be offended. If I did offend or hurt someone's feelings, I apologize beforehand. FYI, I'm Japanese. Does that help? lol Well, hopefully you'll enjoy the food :) Enjoy! *I've only gone for lunch and dinner so I can't say what breakfast or brunch would be like. Also, they tend to get crowded during the weekends, so I would recommend you to go early.

    (5)

  • Dave F.

    if you are really picky about fresh sushi, this isn't your spot. It is an extremely reasonably priced sushi restaurant in an odd strip mall locale. There's a sushi bar which seats about 15 and ample dining rooms. The restaurant is a bit dated, but nice and family friendly. Service is excellent. Our server was excellent and went back several times to ask questions re fresh non-menu items. She was very patient and let us dine at a snails pace. The sunomono is good, not great. We enjoyed this miso soup and edamame. All were good. We split the large sushi platter, larger sashimi platter and about 8 different sushi orders along with 1 roll. The platters are a good buy, (about 11 pieces for $20), but don't expect higher end sushi. I tried the fresh salmon, yellow tail, kani, toro and tako. Of these the kani and toro were 4 star, the rest were 3 star. We had lots of left-vers with 3 of us ordering this. They added 15% tip which was odd for a small table, but whatever. Service 5 star Ambiance 4 star Food 3 star.

    (3)

  • K M.

    Delicious food. Super fun experience, from the relaxed setting to hot towels and lovely service, you won't be disappointed. The sushi boat is amazing -- too much for one -- but perfect to split. Don't be deceived by the strip mall location. Authentic, nice quality food.

    (5)

  • Brian T.

    Went a couple of weeks ago after forgetting about it for 20 years. Still great sushi, great service, great staff and a reasonable price!

    (4)

  • Lucy C.

    consistently the best sushi in town with affordable prices. nothing fancy with crazy fruit/fish combinations that'll cost you $15 like the modern sushi restaurants downtown. I'm glad i don't have to fight through traffic and pay for parking to get it. their saba shioyaki is even the best I've had; never dry and always flavorful. sitting at the sushi bar is always a fun experience. can't wait for their fresh uni!

    (5)

  • Liang K.

    Best Japanese sushi in Seattle, I went to Shiro's as well. But I think Izumi is more professional and astonishing!!!

    (5)

  • James L.

    Just got back from NYC. This place is one of the best in Washington, and is as good or better than the super expensive ones in NYC. Worth the drive from Seattle!

    (5)

  • Kevin E.

    I've been to Izumi twice: last July and yesterday. It must be my yearly dinner tradition. This place is packed and obviously popular as evidenced by the excellent 5-star reviews. I love the friendly "Irasshaimase!", hot towel, authentic dress of servers, Hōjicha, etc. The sushi here is solid. I like that they don't have a lot of Americanized things here. Shito-san is an amazing sushi chef. It is a bit expensive for what I can afford at this time so unfortunately it has to be a yearly visit for me. One thing that hasn't been noted yet in any other review for Izumi is that they are well aware of Celiac disease and/or gluten intolerance. I asked about gluten-free and the very friendly waiter made sure that my food was safe. He came back multiple times telling me how something was prepared and wondering if I could eat it. For some reason small amounts of soy sauce don't bother me so for the marinated vegetables in the Chirashi it didn't make any difference. For those of you Celiacs and gluten-free allergy folks: The Chirashi has some gluten (soy sauce) in the omelette, marinated vegetables, and the miso soup. I'm not sure if they would have done substitutions or just left them out. One down-side of the Chirashi was that I just enjoy having more food. For the price I would have liked to have more rice. The pieces of sashimi were generous and the bowl of rice beneath it wasn't a lot. Beautiful presentation on the Chirashi, though. They do have wheat-free tamari available in the real tamari bottle, which I've not always seen before. All in all, very good meal, friendly service, feels like being in Japan (good memories).

    (4)

  • Colleen L.

    Best Japanese restaurant hands down! I have been coming here since the early 90's. They have very authentic Japanese dishes that I can't find at your average Asian fusion places. I especially love their Sukiyaki! It's like a Japanese version of Pho but with a lot less noodles. Their sushi is wonderful! I usually order the Chicken Sukiyaki/Sushi combo. When you order a set/meal you get their excellent Miso soup, side salad and cucumber salad. They used to serve a seaweed salad with some sort of tofu but they have not had it in years. :( Lunch time is great at Izumi because they will get you in and out in about 30 minutes. It's family owned and worth the trip to Kirkland!!

    (5)

  • Hideo M.

    I was on my way South from Bellevue and decided to go here since I was craving for sushi. First of all, service was slow and not very good. My waiter was monotone and did the bare minimum. Said Hi and took my order and didn't see the waiter til my food came. I ordered 11 piece sashimi dinner. There were five different fish and I knew three out of the five. It would have been nice if the waiter just took the time to give me a quick info on what fish is what... Anyways, the sashimi is top notch and I enjoyed it very much. The restaurant was pretty busy and it's great to see that on Tuesday night but they should really take the time to check up on their customers.

    (3)

  • Jaime R.

    Great authentic sushi!

    (4)

  • Jon D.

    I don't know Japanese, but I'm pretty sure that Izumi must translate to "The Real Deal." Or possibly just "amazing" for short. This place was fantastic. If you're looking for an authentic sushi experience here on the Eastside (or in the greater Seattle area for that matter) Izumi is your spot. You won't get bogged down with pages of specialty rolls here or appetizers that involve cream cheese and funky tex-mex sauces. What you get at Izumi is a straight up, old school, Jiro-Dreams-of-Sushi-style sushi experience. While we were here, we ran into a friend of ours who styles himself as a self-professed sushi connoisseur. He says that this is the only place on the Eastside that he will go for sushi. He was telling us that this is the place that other sushi chefs go to when THEY want to indulge in the best sushi around. It's that good. These guys get the freshest fish possible. Truly - straight off the boat and on to that beautiful little bed of perfectly made rice. It's reasonably priced and the staff here all go out of their way to make sure that you have a wonderful and authentically Japanese style (not westernized) sushi experience. Three thumbs up for Izumi sushi. 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Tal E.

    I will never come back. It's possible my family and I were spoiled with ichiban garden (in puyallup, took months to find it and sad we moved to Redmond). This place was just not what all the yelp reviews talked it up to be. We appreciate two types of sushi. Traditional: freshest of seafood laying on top of delicately vinegared/sugar rice. And we love those huge, decorative rolls filled w fried shrimp or crap or scallop w delicious additives and a beautiful presentation. This place had none of that. One the "rolls" we're extremely small, at 6 pieces each. They were reminiscent of the rolls you find in the conveyer belt sushi places or at Safeway. The true sushi, at 2 pieces each, was bland. The tamago was super sweet, the unagi was ruined (how did that happen??) and the tuna and salmon tasted like water..... We waited 30 mins to get seated, which according to the couple that had been waiting for over 40 minutes, was unusual. The waitress was very polite and explained everything with patience and a smile. I almost cried. I wasted 61.81 on worthless, tasteless sushi. OH!! And the teriyaki chicken is NOT teriyaki chicken! Do they even know what teriyaki chicken is??

    (1)

  • Tom B.

    Wow, what a fantastically camouflaged little gem of a strip mall sushi place. Given how much better rents must have to be in strip malls, I am getting ready to stop even pointing out how nice it is to find a good place in one. There are lots of good places in strip malls. The little foyer and the dividered dining room do a great job of making you feel like you're stepping into another environment. There's a brightly lit bar in back, flanked by the fish cases, and lots of little dining-room-lets in between the divider walls. Tonight I sat at the bar, and they were pretty swamped. The chef was incredibly gracious despite never being able to pause for the first 20 minutes I was there. I savored my tea, savored my miso, and scoured every syllable of the menu. I, as I often do, realized after the meal that I should have just ordered a medium sized plate of sashimi. But I pieced together an interesting survey of what they had, and it was all good. All exceptional, in fact. Hamachi, seaweed sprouts, lightly grilled Hawaiian snapper, sliced octopus, scallop rolls. All delectable. I already can't wait to go back. I think I was here once about 12 years ago and clearly didn't understand what I was getting. This place is worth an essentially infinite number of re-visits.

    (5)

  • Thomas V.

    For the price and quality of the food, no where else can beat it in the area. The only exception are a few in Seattle but that is pretty far (for me at least). Honestly most sushi places around here are very white washed. Kinda harsh to say but it is very true. Izumi is more traditional than most sushi places in the area. During dinner service they hand out warm towels for you to wipe your hangs with which are amazing. Unfortunately I don't think they give these out during the lunch hours because I seemed to never get them at this time. I frequent here pretty often maybe once or twice every other week. I usually sit at the sushi bar, which is by far the best experience if you are a real sushi lover(I'm talking about nigiri, not the rolls!). I order the omakase, which is a random selection of pretty much what the chef wants to feed you. It can vary on the seasons and fish he has. I usually say no budget and he hands me the best fish you can have ever, like o-toro, which is the fatty part of tuna. This is honestly the best cut of tuna ever. It literally melts in your mouth because it is so fatty. Also Uni is very good, better during the winter (the master sushi chef told me this). So buttery and Smooth. Honestly in my opinion it can get pricey if you order very expensive cuts of fish, but if you were to eat casually here it isn't pricey at all, very fair in my opinion. You should take a date here or go with your friends because it is a great experience and has great food, especially the sushi is exceptional. So sit at the sushi bar if you want the best sushi and the freshest sushi you can get! Pro tips, go early if you want the sushi bar on weekends it gets packed around dinner times!

    (5)

  • Jonas B.

    We had been here before but it's been quite a while, so memories were beginning to fade. But this visit was even better than what I remember. We had the Omakase sushi and it was terrific and not too badly priced at $39 for eight pieces with very generous fish cuts. The Edamame and Agedashi Dofu were all right but I have had better. The sake list is pretty short but I can testify that the Wakatake Onikoroshi is delicious. I cannot resist giving five stars, the sushi is that good. Definitely worth a drive. (Reservations taken for five or more guests.)

    (5)

  • Ru Y.

    Food was good and authentic. I think it is good price-wise as well. So I gave 4 stars. The down side was the bill. The waitress was so confused for splitting the bill and adding more orders. we had six in the party and wanted to split the bill for our party of three and the other three (two groups sat separately on each side of the table) . About splitting the bill, we were clear when we ordered our food at the beginning. She was hand writing all the orders on a piece of paper, and we wanted to add more orders, then she said she had to do it from the start !? It is not that difficult even if they are doing it by hand. And adding more orders are good for them so I do not know why she was complaining like that. 18% tip (calculated after tax) was added to our bill. It is standard practice to do it but she should have told that to us (figured out by looking at the bill) verbally as well. If waiters are capable of handling this kind of thing (splitting the bills and/or adding more orders), hand writing system would work, however, if they cannot handle it, why don't they use a simple computer billing system? I think it depends of the waiter but that is a potential down side if you visit this restaurant with a large group. If you just have one bill, and not adding order later, maybe you do not notice.

    (4)

  • Amos Y.

    Went there at dinner time with a large group. Service was alright, understandable as we had a large group and the place was pretty busy. I got the udon nabeyaki, it was pretty decent. Good portion, solid broth, and properly cooked noodles. Only comment is to eat the shrimp tempura quickly or it gets soggy. It's hard to mess up udon, unless you overcook it. A friend got the salmon teriyaki a la carte, which was excellent. Bursting with flavor, with a slightly crispy skin and tender insides. Another friend who got some of the sushi and thought it was pretty fresh. A fourth friend got the beef sukiyaki, enjoyed it. The dinner combo for the sukiyaki provides a generous plate/bowl full of sliced beef, vegetables, and noodles. I thought the beef was slightly dry but, otherwise good.

    (4)

  • Morgan L.

    Hands down - my favorite place to eat sushi. This place is what sushi dreams are made of. Seriously, I LOVE this place. I have been coming here for 20 years (crazy to think about) and never leave disappointed. This is the only place I will order sashimi, the yellowtail tastes like buttah! Finish your meal with the Coffee Jelly... I make this at home, but it always tastes better right after such a delicious meal. Try to check this place out with a regular... there are some things that aren't on the menu that are a must try!

    (5)

  • David H.

    Good food. Got the chicken soup thing, forgot exactly what it was called. There was a lot of good food. Only downside is that it is a little more expensive than expected

    (4)

  • Ken L.

    With my mouth watering and my stomach growling, I anticipated an awesome 5 star sushi dinner!! The restaurant's decor is a revelation compared to its plain jane exterior camouflaged amongst the other strip mall businesses. The result? Good but not outstanding sushi. Large Sushi Platter: 8 assorted fish, 6 small rolls (3 cucumber and 3 tuna?) with a roll topped with salmon fish eggs. The sushi tasted fine but there was nothing about them that gave me the "warm and fuzzy feeling". On top of that, it was not that fresh and was lukewarm in temperature. Two other sushi orders were presented: the freshwater eel (unagi) and the scallop roll. Unagi roll was good but the scallop roll was a bit slimy and fishy. After paying the check, I realized that they didn't give me the miso soup that supposed to come with the sushi platter. I am not affected too much by this oversight but I left unfulfilled and wondered if any of my fellow yelpers have ever had truly great sushi.

    (3)

  • Sophia S.

    Probably my favorite Sushi restaurant on the eastside. Great menu selection and awesome food. Sushi is always fresh. My one issue with this restaurant is service. It is consistently atrocious. They are slow to seat people, slow to take orders, slow with the bill... You get the point. But I put up with the bad service because I do love the food.

    (4)

  • Anuj K.

    Good. What I would expect from a sushi restaurant, nothing more. None of the fish was outstanding. Some of the fish was disappointing. I do recommend sitting at the sushi bar and doing Omakase (because that's what I did and what's what this review is about). Also, go at lunch time. It's much more reasonably priced. I got 11 pieces of nigiri, and these were healthy sized nigiri. I was stuffed when I was done. I may not remember all of what I had, but I will guess. 1. scallop - sweet, ocean taste. It was seared, I think to take away some of the underlying fishiness. Not the freshest I've had, but not bad. 2. albacore - seared, served with a dab of red miso mixed with green onion. Actually quite good. 3. spanish mackerel - standard, pickled flavor, oily. 4. some white fish versus clam, don't remember. 5. amebi (raw shrimp) - actually really good. It didn't have the sticky texture like I remember it having from my first time. 6. The chef also had the shrimp heads tempura fried and brought to us. Crispy and delicious. 7. Hamachi (yellowtail) - chewy, not so melt in your mouth. OK. 8. White king salmon - forgettable, likely good. 9. Toro - bleh. This is probably the worst toro I've had. really chewy, didn't really melt in my mouth like I expected toro too. Likely a result of being previously frozen. 10. Umi (sea urchin) - really, really good. It tasted like sweet and salty ocean. Good texture, clean finish, just the right amount of freshly grated wasabi. 11. Radish sprouts - he seared the tops of some of the sprouts, giving it a smoky flavor. This was a really nice, fresh way to finish the meal and add some depth of flavor. I recommend not touching the wasabi the chef puts on your plate. He'll flavor it for you with the right sauces. Ask for direction when you don't know - the chef is there to guide your tastebuds! Service was appropriate, everybody was really nice. I didn't have to ask for any refills on my tea, and they weren't stopping by every 2-3 minutes to bug me either.

    (3)

  • Clifford S.

    Izumi's has always been a Sushi staple for one of my closest friends and I. The sushi is fairly priced, the service is extremely good! Although the restaurant is small, therefore the wait sometimes long, the food and service are more than worth it! We have had many dinners there, and every time have walked away full and happy. I think one of my favorite things about this restraint are the hot towels they give you from the start it adds four-star luxury that doesn't have that Forster price! The sushi rolls are amazingly fresh and satisfying. The presentation is almost too incredible to eat. The wait staff is always standing by to accomidate any special orders as well. Very suburb place, a good meal with friends, a first date, a takeout staple. Izumi makes for a great Sushi destination!

    (5)

  • Sandy L.

    I feel it is getting more and more challenging to find great Japanese restaurant, what's wrong with Seattle market?? This is supposed to be one of the best sushi restaurants on the Eastside (the other two are i love sushi and Ginza) Maybe i really came in the wrong night. We ordered a sashimi platter for 3 people, the fish didn't come with too much variety, all just common stuff like tuna, salmon and scallops. Even worse the salmon were half frozen. Sigh...not to mention the cut of each piece was small and thin. Service was really slow and absolutely no re-fill on our tea...Another sigh...

    (3)

  • Veronica S.

    Yes, it's all the way in Kirkland. Yes, it's in a strip mall. Yes, traffic sucks and the constructions in the area hasn't helped. But if you fancy yourself as a sushi fan and/or want to get a taste of real sushi, you will leave Seattle at 2pm just to make sure you get to Izumi in time to get a table for dinner. For more details, read my friend Kenji O.'s review. He can school you about sushi better than I can any day of the week.

    (5)

  • Sameer K.

    The food was pretty good, but this is a little pricey. We knew going in that everything was going to cost a bit, so this wasn't a huge problem. The food was good quality and the service was good. I love that the people that make the Japanese food are actually Japanese. We tried a few rolls and the chicken teriyaki with tempura. The tempura vegetables were perfect and tasty. Crisp, not mushy. The chicken teriyaki was as expected, but not wowing. The rolls were well done. No real complaints here, though I might go somewhere a little cheaper the next time I'm in the mood for sushi.

    (4)

  • Vici K.

    We've been out of there area for about 6 years and what great place to come back to! I have always loved this place and it is just as great as I remember. We'll be regulars again for sure!

    (5)

  • David P.

    The sashimi/sushi fish portions are huge. Excellent quality and giant slabs of fish.i didn't try any rolls so I'm unsure of how big those are. But seriously it was great sushi and I was shocked by how big the fish slices were

    (5)

  • Robyn W.

    Having spent time in Japan, I found Izumi to be very authentic. - The staff barely talks to you. It's all about the food anyway! - It smells of dashi from the moment you step in the door. - It is packed to the brim, trying to fit in as many tables as possible. Expect a wait for a table. - The food is very traditional. You aren't going to find the crazy Americanized sushi rolls here! I seriously felt back in Japan eating here. (Especially when they served me coffee jelly!) Giving Izum only 4 stars due to it being a bit pricey. I would also love to see some dango on the dessert menu! ~.^

    (4)

  • cindy k.

    I'm visiting from LA and I must say, I was very impressed with this restaurant. The sushi was fresh and the teriyaki sauce was authentic. It wasn't flavored with just pure sugar. Their lunch special bento box had a little bit of everything. It was delicious. I wish I ordered more sashimi . The waitresses were so sweet and cute. I can't wait to go there again!

    (5)

  • John T.

    I am a glutton for punishment. We were back and to experience more of the same. Now we were charged a mandatory tip of 20% for parties of 5. When we asked about the 6+ they just stated that it is an old menu. I think they are purposely trying to keep us from coming back. OK!

    (1)

  • London B.

    Ok, folks, this is it. The best traditional Japanese food on the east side. Ummm, wow, what took me so long to try it? Oh yeah, I kept reading reviews on this place, and after taking the bait on so many other places, only to be disappointed, I was, shall we say, a little reluctant. Besides, it's in a friggin strip mall...how many fantabulous restaurants are in strip malls, right? Well, in actuality, Kirkland seems to be teeming with excellent strip mall eateries. And Izumi definitely does not disappoint! Walked in maybe an hour before they closed and was greeted by two elderly women in kimonos. Their english was very limited but understandable. We ordered miso, green tea, and several varieties of sushi, and that's when the mouthgasms began---some of the largest, freshest pieces of sushi of all time. Holy damn. It was worth every pretty penny because we were stuffed a lot earlier than normal compared to other sushi joints, where sometimes you have to order a bevy of items to feel content. Uh uh, not here. Walk in with an open mind, because truth be told, it's not like too many other westernized sushi restaurants in the area. You won't find a ten-page menu with rolls named after Godzilla and Pokemon. It's very simple, basic Japanese fare with sushi and a few rolls. That's it. You'll leave quite happy.

    (5)

  • Xiangyu Z.

    This restaurant was so packed when my family and I had dinner there tonight, and I think it's simply because its foods are pretty good. We ordered sushi platter, udon noodle soups, unagi sushi and cucumber sushi, which are not bad. The udon noodle soup was the best one I had ever. The only problem was their price - it was a little bit too pricy - I guess you have to pay over $20 for each person. :-(

    (4)

  • Portland P.

    This is the best sushi in the northwest if price is no object! The freshest! The best! Been going here for 15 years! If Shito San is your sushi chef that day you are in for a treat! Ask for the "Shito San Roll" (not on the menu) for something amazing!

    (5)

  • Jim B.

    Tempura cooked to perfection. Not raw, not greasy, PERFECT. This is where all my Japanese friends go for dinner...

    (5)

  • Denni S.

    My favorite sushi place. YUMMY! Everything just melts in your mouth. Service is friendly and attentive. Fish is unbelievably fresh. The interior has a warm Family Ties type vibe to it. I love this place!

    (5)

  • William D.

    Hands down "THE BEST" sushi restaurant on the Eastside. Maybe not quite as good as Shiro's on a great night but far more consistent than Shiro's for fresh and delicious locally procured sushi. If you are a sushi fan you simply must do the sushi bar and order the Omakase because sushi brought to the table isn't the same. I laughed looking at some of the other reviews below mine. Anyone who bases their rating on how crowded the place is, just silly, it's crowded because it's great, obviously. This place is awesome, an Eastside gem.

    (5)

  • Vince N.

    Irashaimase! I give this my top vote for Sushi restaurants in Kirkland. Izumi's by far has the freshest cut fish in the city. If you order the California roll, they give you real crab meat..Did you read that? Real Crab meat. No artificial, white fish or surimi dyed red. The sashimi can be spectacular, along with the sushi. I would say the fish is 90 percent fresh. There have been a few times where I've ordered sushi and it has had me saying hmmm, but that rarely happens. The lunch special can't be beat in price, quality and quantity. $12.95 usually gets you, soup, cucumber salad, salad, rice, tempura, either salmon teriyaki or sushi and a 4 piece California roll. My favorite things to get here include, unagi, spicy scallop roll and a California roll. The wait staff is very nice and very traditional. Make sure you confirm your order because they sometimes get your order wrong. The waitress sometimes are really old, but don't tell them I said that. The only thing I wish they would hold is the msg on some of the menu items, that stuff really gives me a headache afterwards.

    (4)

  • Lau C.

    I'm a huge Japanese food fan and was excited to try this place. We ordered a few rolls (shrimp tempura & spicy tuna) as well as a dinner combo. My opinion of the food is it is very simple, more a traditional Japanese style restaurant, not exactly what I was expecting from the reviews. The food was all good quality, I would just say it was a bit spendy and the although they had some of the freshest sushi fish I've had, the rolls were very small (no avocado to be found) compared to what I am used to. I guess you could say I'm a little to used to the more "Americanized" Japanese sadly. If you are looking for a more traditional Japanese joint though, this is your place.

    (3)

  • Amy J.

    The best fish I've ever had. Maybe anywhere. Whole party was happy - amazing sushi, incredible salmon, nice tempura and good teriyaki (ok, I didn't have that, I was too busy diving into the ocean with the sushi). Awesome and cannot wait to go back.

    (5)

  • The B.

    Shito is the master. This place makes Rikki Rikki taste like Mc Donald's... Try the White King Salmon for those of you who are Toro fans its a great switch. The pieces of fish are generous and not just a huge piece of rice. The rolls are much the same and I love the spicy scallop roll. Get there early if you want prompt service though.

    (4)

  • Alexander A.

    We had a very bad experience with this restaurant. First the service is very slow: it took us 50 minutes to get our Sushi. For sushi dinner, it is totally unacceptable regardless how busy you are. I ordered omakase sushi and extremely disappointed with the dishes. Never ever order this dish. 25 dollars for 8 pieces of sushi, the quality is not great. Omakase means to trust the sushi chef to wow you with his/her skill and selection. Serving Tuna and Salmon nigiri indicates the chef's laziness. We came to the restaurant at 7.30PM. We got our food around 8.20PM. They didn't even apologize for it. 20 minutes after we got our food, they informed the kitchen is closing. On top of that, they overcharged our bill by 35 dollars. We would never ever come back again. For the Eastside, Ginza and Tuna-House is much better restaurant in term of quality and service.

    (1)

  • Lee M.

    Great sushi, seems to have a real asian following (good sign). The sushi chef is very entertaining!

    (4)

  • Henry T.

    Always feel like I must have had the wrong thing or just been there on an off day when I have such a mediocre experience in opposition to the bulk of reviews. However, I am a real foodie and have eaten in hundreds, possibly over a thousand, restaurants all over the world so I feel like my opinion has some validity. I didn't have the sushi. I read in a magazine that this was the best place for "home-style" Japanese, so I got stuff like noodles, etc. that a Japanese person might have at home (this was almost 2 years ago so I don't remember exactly). It was just OK. Exactly "Meh, I've had better" that would, according to Yelp, merit 2 stars. But to me, 2 stars means BAD. This place wasn't bad, just not particularly good.

    (3)

  • Wyatt H.

    My favorite sushi place on the east side. Order the Omakase, and leave it to them! Udon, maki's and bentos are good too. Authentic Japanese style. Reminds me of Kyoto and the Kansai region. Oishii desu. Arigato Gozaimasu.

    (5)

  • Daisy W.

    Good sushi.

    (4)

  • Ronda L.

    Long wait for okay sushi. I waited an hour for a seat and though "It's busy, it must be good!" But in this situation I don't believe that to be the case. It wasn't terrible, but I went to a different sushi place the next time (Go to Oto Sushi!!)

    (3)

  • Jen B.

    Wow! With all the 4 and 5 star reviews I was expecting this place to be amazing. Unfortunately it was not but perhaps I just ordered the wrong items? Everything was great during the meal... the service was fantastic, the dining room was clean, it was quiet, and felt extremely authentic. The only bummer was the food, which is pretty much the most important part. I got a bento box which was chocked full of items but they all tasted off. The California Roll was the driest roll I have ever had... EVER... I couldn't even get it down and the sushi was really fishy. I'm bummed because I wanted it to be good... I won't be going back.

    (2)

  • Steve W.

    Before moving here we lived in San Francisco, where almost every restaurant was uber delicious. Sadly, we have been disappointed on more than one occasion here on the Eastside with food that was good, but didn't WOW us. We finally found that WOW factor in Izumi. Everything we tried was scrumdilicious!! Sushi was fresh and delicious, the teriyaki wasn't over salted, and the service was fast and friendly. The only reason I'm not giving them 5 stars was because when they brought us the bill I had to do a double take. They didn't take the time to add up what we ordered and just slapped $100 down as the cost (when it should have been $70). They were quick to correct their "mistake" but just be sure to bring a calculator with you if you aren't good at doing addition in your head. Regardless, I think we have found our new Japanese restaurant!

    (4)

  • Doug A.

    I have been coming here for years. By far the best Japanese restaurant in Washington!. The Sushi and Sashimi are always fresh and the Sukiyaki is the best around!

    (5)

  • Wendy L.

    Maybe I've been in the east coast too long, I don't know...but I loved the Nigiri sushi here. No wait...I LOVED LOVED the nigiri sushi. The salmon was nice and fatty, the uni was fresh, and the albacore was amazing. The one complaint is that this place is kinda pricey, but I felt like it was worth the price (it's the same price for not so good sushi in DC). What I liked about this place was that it was a very homey Japanese restaurant....there wasn't a lot spent on decor, so the food tasted very fresh and with love. The menu is pretty traditional~ not so many maki options, but a decent number of combos. Their sushi is amazing though. I've eaten at a number of sushi places in Seattle, but this was my first sushi meal back home. It totally made the move from DC worth it.....

    (5)

  • George C.

    Totem Lake / Kirkland is lucky to have a place like this. Everything is fresh and delicious. Don't let the strip mall location fool you. I've been to Izumi 4-5 times for lunch and it's always busy. Service is decent and parking is always available.

    (5)

  • Amanda W.

    Izumi's has a nice Japanese atmosphere, but there food was too bland and somewhat overpriced. I had a veggie roll and spicy tuna roll. Both had little to no flavor, and when I saw the size of my seaweed salad I was shocked! Only about 2 tablespoons worth for $4! I'd rather go somewhere where I can leave feeling full and that my money was well spent. However, it was very fresh and the restaurant was clean.

    (2)

  • Salman S.

    Awesome food . Best family sushi

    (5)

  • Ann S.

    The sushi is fresh and everything is good. Let the Chef make you a hand roll or random plate of sashimi (just don't get all bent out of shape when you get the bill)! Go there hungry, you will leave full and happy.

    (5)

  • Rosette T.

    You can tell that the fish was very fresh because there was no seafood smell when I ate the sushi. It was my first time going there and the food was very good. Had the beef sukiyaki and it came with a choice of onion or ginger salad, miso soup, a vinegar cucumber dish, and a side of white rice. Big portion enough for 2. We also order the spicy tuna roll, spicy salmon roll, a cucumber roll, fresh scallop roll, and a fresh eel roll. All was very good. For dessert we had the red bean ice cream and it was the best red bean ice cream I had had! Definitely a place worth going to again

    (4)

  • Lina H.

    Definitely a good restaurant. They are expensive though compared to other sushi restsurants. We've gone to Rikki Rikki for years. Izumi compares well in sushi but not in other areas. Prices are more expensive. House sake is of less quality. Miso soup is too salty. Rolls are very small. Overall good place to go. Excellent customer service. Authentic atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Amy L.

    After being subjected to several disappointing Japanese restaurants, it was great to finally eat at one where the food and service was very enjoyable. Okay - I had a very good impression when I first walked in. I was seated fairly quickly, they brought me my glass of water very quickly, and the waitress was really nice and didn't act all annoyed when I said I wanted a few more minutes to look at the menu. She also brought me a warm towel to wipe my hands with (very nice!) Taking a look around the restaurant: the atmosphere was excellent. The head waitress wore traditional-style dress, and the look was simple and clean but had lots of beautiful touches to it (nice lights, etc.). Food: I got the chirashi + udon combination, which was priced a bit on the high end but very filling. The presentation of all the foods (including all the small dishes) was excellent. I felt like this was something actually worth the heavy price I paid for it (way better than the rolls I had at Oto's where they were just plopped there). Besides the salad (you could choose from ginger or onion dressing, the ginger was very good), you had a small cup of miso soup and a mini dish (forgot the name but it was very good). The udon was simple but they gave me some tempura with it (separately and it was cooked perfectly). The noodles were cooked very well and they even gave me a little dish with a spoon in case the soup was too hot so I could portion it. The fish in the chirashi was fresh but not overly so. It wasn't the best I've ever tasted (and I was a bit disappointed with this). The bed of sushi rice was warm and the presentation and attention to detail in my food was incredibly appreciated. I wasn't wowed by the coffee jelly and it didn't seem worth the $3.50. Food: 4 (for taste) - 4.5 (presentation/detail/effort) stars Service: This is what really made me give this a 5. My waitress was amazing! She was so polite and attentive even though there were so many people around that she had to serve. She constantly stopped by to collect my finished dishes and if they were not obviously empty she made sure to ask me if I was done. The only thing was that she didn't fill my water automatically and didn't for a while after I asked, but she was nice enough to come by again without a second prompting and fill it up for me even though I was finished. Service: A very solid 5! Overall, I wasn't completely wowed by the food itself. However, the presentation of the food and service was excellent. I might try coming back again later (and definitely later because it was pretty pricey). To anyone who can, try coming in for lunch (I think they have pretty good lunch deals).

    (5)

  • Fumiko Y.

    You want really good sushi? This is the BEST in Seattle no matter what others say. I swear. Rule #1: Skip the menu. Yes, don't even open it. Rule #2: Request to sit at the sushi bar and order "omakase" sushi. Ask the friendly sushi chef with confidence what is the best fish that night and he'll give you only the fresh, melt-in-your-mouth, awe-inspiring fish and shellfish. Rule #3: Ask the chef questions! Get to know him! Be inquisitive. He will remember you and give you great treatment the next time you visit and a little extra too if you are lucky. Rule #4: Don't expect super efficient services. Japanese old ladies aren't meant to move so fast. (I mean, what do you expect?) Rule #5: Expect to spend a lot of money. You will get what you pay for. It is not El Gaucho expensive but the omakase sushi dinner (12~14 pieces) will set you back $50-60. I love this place and keep bringing my friends (new customers). They have all turned regulars in no time.

    (5)

  • Jeanna L.

    For years I believed that the only places to eat good sushi were in Seattle. Silly me! I finally took the recommendation of a friend and tried Izumi. We sat at the sushi bar and started talking to the chef (I assume he was the head chef, I don't recall his name). I asked for $25 worth of omakase nigiri and my preferences. I told him who I usually go to for sushi and he remarked that they were great chefs and got to work. I suppose it was almost like a little competition to impress me and I was definitely not disappointed. He fulfilled all my requests (like including nigiri served with ponzu) with lots of variety and flair. I watched as he kept adding various things to the nigiri - different kinds of salts and garnishes. Everything was fresh and super tasty. Even the plain ones just melted in my mouth and were perfectly proportionate. Hands down the best sushi on the eastside and definitely in my top 3 in the entire Seattle area.

    (5)

  • Amy B.

    As I will tell anyone: Izumi's = Best. Sushi. EVER. Gawd, I love this place!! I loved everything about it. Izumi's doesn't take reservations, which is fine by me. My date and I met here at his suggestion for New Year's Eve (NYE) because my brother enjoys sushi and we've been talking sometime about getting sushi together (Matt and I on a double date with my brother and his girlfriend). NYE seemed as good a time as any to finally indulge in our sushi craving. When we arrived, a very kind woman greeted us. Matt requested that we sit (4 of us) at the bar where place settings were put down for each of us, including those lovely warm towelettes. Matt and I then ordered green tea and miso soup while waiting for my brother. The miso soup was delicious! The tea was refilled atleast 5 times throughout the night without my ever having to say a thing. My brother and his girlfriend arrived. The chef greeted us all again and asked us what we were in the mood for having. We asked for his suggestions and mentioned we were adventurous--albeit a slightly conservative adventurous which he recognized with a smile. He made us several sashimi bites- soft crab, yellow fin, kelp with roe, salmon, etc as well as a delectable crab tempura. It was all sooo incredibly delicious! It is by far my favorite sushi restaurant and ranks at the very top of my fondest dining experiences ever. The employees felt like family and the other diners at the bar shared in our experience of trying new things, all very delightful. Everything was delicious. Everything was a-mazing. Thank you, Izumi! You are the best!! I hope 2010 brings you much prosperity as you so richly deserve it!!

    (5)

  • Victor R.

    Once again, Father's Day and had a wonderful dinner with a rose at the end, thanking us for being a father and having dinner with them that evening. The fish was spectacular. Sheto-san is super.

    (5)

  • Paul I.

    I see in Seattle mag's Asian food article that Izumi got Best Homestyle Japanese food. Not sure they are that good. I need to sample more dishes to really judge but I grade the restaurant by the miso soup and theirs rates behind Ginza and I Love Sushi Lake Bellevue both in Bellevue. As miso soup is a giveaway, most Japanese restaurants make it mediocre. A note on prices. If your dinner includes miso soup, namasu and salad you need to compare other restaurant prices with an app, soup and salad to make the comparison equal. If you do that the Japanese restaurant prices will be a great value.

    (3)

  • Lisif W.

    After eating teryaki and bento here twice with my husband and daughter with great results, I went here with my parents who at some point this decade decided that sushi is, after all, an acceptable food item. I'm reviewing that meal since it was the first sushi-focused dinner that we had at Izumi, and it was stellar. Thank you, Izumi, for having my back! Mom and Dad don't live here, and what they are used to is pretty awful by Seattle standards (sushi made with long grain rice...!!!) and they had never eaten anything but salmon and tuna rolls (no nigiri). We ordered the omakase and the seafood udon soup. Omakase came with some lovely toro and the best saba I've ever had - not fishy at all, no need for the vinegar treatment to make it edible. We also ordered a spider roll and wow - it was the best prepared spider roll I have ever had, and huge. I would go back just for that. Unfortunately, the sushi bar was too full for our party of five so we had to sit at a table where we could not see the chef(s) working or chat with him/them. All the sushi was very good and fresh and the cuts were very generous. Our daughter (who is 8) loves the tofu miso - lots of the white stuff and enough seaweed to keep her happy, not too much scallion. I used to like I Love Sushi in Bellevue but I have not had a good meal there in five or six years. I'm glad to have found a place close to home that has such good sushi. Although we spent a lot on our omakase ($200 for four adults and one non-sushi eating child), I know we could have eaten sushi much more cheaply (the huge spider roll was $12), so I give this place a $$ price rating. I plan to come back often for sushi - although we really liked the teryaki and bento we had on our earlier visits, the sushi is a standout. Our daughter has now decided that she likes ikura, so we will try that next.

    (5)

  • Rudi T.

    Izumi is family owned and very authentic. The most japanese japanese food in the area. Kimono wearing cashier greeting you in japanese is the norm. Food is delicious and did i mention authentic?

    (5)

  • Guy M.

    Great lunch prices and the food is great too, but I would have to take a loan out or sell my first born child to eat dinner there. We frequent there in the winter a lot for the hot sake and sukiyaki the service is great also, I like the originality of the help with the full Japanese kimonos too.. not something you see in seattle much.

    (4)

  • Amy N.

    I've been coming here for a few years and never had a bad meal. Their salmon sashimi is the absolute best. I almost always get their sashimi platter (small or large, depending on how hungry I am). They have salmon teriyaki on most Fridays as the special which is also really good (even though it's Atlantic salmon). Super cute dining area and cozy sushi bar seating. Don't let the strip mall location deceive you. We recently discovered they have a 10% off Tuesday deal since they're celebrating their anniversary. Unsure of whether or not it applies to lunch but dinner for sure.

    (4)

  • Jodi M.

    This place elicits the extremely rare five-star review from this Sushi snob. I must be blessed with excellent sushi Karma, because Izumi is within walking distance from my house AND has some of the best sushi i've had in the entire Puget Sound area. Don't be fooled by the strip mall exterior, this is a hidden gem! I don't need to order very much at Izumi because the slices of Sashimi are large, and so freshly flavorful that i'm satiated enough just from the bliss of perfect food. No need to bother with rice when the fish is this good. Typically, they have 3-4 different types of salmon, and that is worth one of those five stars in my book--in my other reviews, you'll notice me griping about Seattle Sushi bars that serve Atlantic salmon. If you like Sashimi, try the White King salmon, Horse Mackerel or Shad, and their Uni is always top notch. The first time i came here, i brought my kids and we sat at a table to order off the regular menu. That was not the best way to appreciate Izumi--in fact i may have an old review still on here from that time. Since then, i have learned that sitting at the bar is a must. Tomorrow, i will be bringing my kids there to celebrate my son's orange belt in Aikido, thanks to a generous gift certificate i just received. We will be doing Omakase, a first for my children. I highly recommend Omakase at Izumi. I don't order anything else but Sashimi here anymore, but every time i go, i see how pleased everyone is with their meal. I always make friends at the bar, and notice how many Japanese families have large parties there. I have brought several dates here and will in the future. If you know me and want to try this place out, contact me to let me know when you're going--i'd be happy to meet you there.

    (5)

  • Brenda K.

    My favorite new Eastside sushi place! We always sit at the sushi bar and get the chef's sushi pick. It's is sooooo fresh and yummy and I have never been disappointed. The spicy tuna hand roll was my fave the last time I was there, large pieces of fresh tuna (instead of chopped and mashed up like most places) DELISH! Highly recommend this place, but then again I don't want everyone to know about it and take my bar seat! :-)

    (5)

  • Takeo N.

    This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in the Seattle-area. I have been coming here since I was a child and it is always a treat to enjoy a meal here. The nabeyaki udon truly brings joy and happiness into my life and the tempura is heavenly: light, crispy and utterly delectable. It is definitely worth the drive over the bridge from Seattle!

    (5)

  • Suzanne O.

    We came across this restaurant on Yelp actually while looking for a new sushi place! All the reviews were great! We sat at the sushi bar and the food was good. I would recommend the King Crab salad and the spicy tuna roll was by far the best I have ever had!!! However, we ordered 3 pieces of Nigiri, crab salad and two rolls and the bill was $75.00. I am not a stickler on price and one of my favorite sushi restaurants downtown is expensive. But for the amount of food we got and the small servings it definitely was not worth the price. The sushi chef was also not very inviting unless you appeared to be a regular patron. The wait staff didn't ask us for drink refills the entire meal. Not my favorite sushi experience.

    (3)

  • Trisha B.

    I have been going to this restaurant since I was a little girl and never disappointed. Everything on the menu is amazing, sushi of course is wonderful. Also the tempura and teriyaki chicken is one of a kind. I LOVE the coffee jello, a very unique dessert. HIGHLY RECOMMEND....

    (5)

  • Liz T.

    Thought I'd give Izumi a try after reading the Yelp reviews. It's located in a non-descript strip mall with several other ethnic eateries. Restaurant's not large but not tiny either. Staff was very polite and welcomed me immediately when I walked in. I was shown to the back room, which was nice and I could see the sushi chef from a short distance. I vascillated between the black cod in teriyaki dinner, and the udon seafood hotpot. Decided on the cod since I hadn't had fish in a while; plus it came with couple of salads and miso soup. Since I was starving, I added the Agedashi Tofu appetizer .. I really shouldn't have. The portions at Izumi were really large, and I was stuffed by the time my entree came. The cod was really big. In fact, it was large enough for 2-3 people with/without appetizer. I overheard the next table making the same comment - that they were stuffed .. portions were really big ... need doggie bag. I'd initially thought their prices were on the high side. But after I got my food, I think they're reasonable. They're closed Mondays. Don't think I'll be back; food was good but not the level of greatness worth fighting traffic for.

    (3)

  • Christina L.

    my family has been going to this restaurant for at least 15 years now. not only that, my friends and i go there. it's kind of our spot for when i visit. there are two more elderly waitresses that have been there that are amazing, along with their friendly sushi chef. they're always nice and willing to answer any questions (although there aren't anymore now that we've been there so many times har har). the food is consistently good. i go between the beef teriyaki, nabeyaki udon, tenzaru soba, and the big bento box filled with a sample of everything that comes with MY FAV coffee jello =) the ambiance is good, nice and chill. highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Amy C.

    Excellent fresh fish and food. Will go back for more.

    (5)

  • Ton Y.

    Fresh is how I'd describe the sushi and sashimi at Izumi. Unassuming store front tucked in a random strip mall in Totem Lake West, this restaurant serves some of the freshest fish I had in Seattle. Sushi and Sashimi platters are conventional but solid. The non-sushi Japanese kitchen also shines (great Udon and other noodle dishes). The service was on par or slightly better than other Japanese restaurants in the city and the ambiance is what you'd expect from a location in a strip mall: don't go there for the surrounding. Go there for simple, honest good Japanese food.

    (4)

  • Nathalie M.

    Hands down best sushi in Seattle.

    (5)

  • Hanafi L.

    It has been years since I had the opportunity to eat at Izumi, but it holds a special memory for me. I don't remember exactly what I ordered, but the woman who placed my plate down in front of me, intentionally turned it so that the "presentation" was as she wanted me to see my meal, before I consumed it. That impression has stuck with me for at least 10 years and prompted me to suggest that we have a birthday dinner there for my friend. She suggested that we sit at the sushi bar and chef Shito immediately engaged us in conversation about Rosh Hashannah, the ensuing 10 days, Israel, Palestine, and of course, what we wished to eat! I had read some remarks here on Yelp and learned that the chef was recommended for omikase. We decided to throw ourselves at his mercy, and were rewarded highly for that decision! A highlighted treat was an Hawaiian fish called Moi, that we really loved. Shito described everything available and we took clues from his language about what to request. He told us that he wanted us to try something and see if we liked it. My friend asked why he was delicately slicing a crosshatched pattern in the skin. He replied "You'll find out when you eat it."! It turned out to be sardine, and the little cuts were to slice the little bones into tiny pieces. It was terrific! The Monk Fish liver sashimi was wonderful and was garnished with a dab of chili mixed with daikon. Pretty much everything was garnished and visually attractive. One final Albacore piece came without decoration and inspired me to call it "Straight, No Chaser". Shito immediately commented on the old jazz standard by that name. All in all, it was a delightful meal and I can only add my favorable comments to the list of folks who have enjoyed eating here and recommend it to you all as well!

    (4)

  • Donna C.

    I recently recommended Izumi to yet another friend and received another huge thank-you for the tip. Sushi chef Shito-san is amazing. At Izumi you will not get a trendy place with unusual rolls and fancy cocktails. It is a nondescript restaurant in a strip mall in kirkland. However, they simply have the BEST fish in the Seattle area. We always sit at the sushi bar and ask Shito-san to serve us "chef choice". You can ask to be added to the Izumi email list to be updated as to the fresh fish each week. Be adventurous and enjoy!

    (5)

  • Wan K.

    Hand's down the best sushi in Western Washington if not the entire west coast. At least compared to the places I've been to. Not only is it good, but the prices are very reasonable although it is located in a not so high rent area nor is the interior very nice. If you are simply into taste and price, this is the place.

    (5)

  • Drew W.

    Izumi's is a wonderful hole in the wall. If you drive past you would not normally find them unless you knew they were there. The food is outstanding! I was stuffed eating sashimi, rolls, and a beer for only about $50. I have eaten at Izumi's about 12 times and every time I loved it. Be sure to sit at the bar when you go! Well worth watching Shitosan work his magic!

    (5)

  • Sasha B.

    Good stuff!!! I couldn't believe how many bowls and plates were brought to me for just one meal. I ordered the Makunouchi combo, and it was quite good. I absolutely LOVED the miso soup and the ginger dressing on the salad. The tempura was reallllly good - the veggies on the side were...different, but good. And the teriayki was very tasty - several other things were brought to me, but I don't remember the names. Not that it matters - it was all pretty good. I didn't give 5 stars because my husband's experience reflected 3 stars - he got a sashimi platter, and he wasn't terribly impressed. I'll definitely go back, though not as often as I like, since it's quite a bit expensive.

    (4)

  • Kyla C.

    Went here because my husband was raving about it and really wanted to go. It was definitely good. We got the gyoza for an appetizer and lots of rolls for dinner. The soft shell crab roll was huge and the ends were really hard to eat without looking like an idiot but it was mighty tasty. I liked the spicy salmon roll too, as well as your standard spicy tuna and california rolls. Overall really good food, nice service, not so great atmosphere but they're in a strip mall I guess. I wish there was a little more selection of rolls but I would come back for sure.

    (4)

  • Adrienne H.

    Izumi, you have to hand your crown over to Momoya as the best on the Eastside. This doesn't mean i'm necessarily breaking up with you, but I do think we are just better as friends.

    (4)

  • Sofie G.

    Whenever I think of Izumi I get a warm, nostalgic feeling in my tummy. I've been going to this restaurant my entire life; other restaurants have come and gone in that local strip mall, but Izumi remains the same; eternal and beckoning, with its homey turquoise sign. Izumi reminds me of cold rainy nights and an abundance of sukiyaki and hojicha warming my belly. My first taste of hijiki and miso soup and sunomono, all so stinkin' cute in those little dishes. So, people say its not authentic, but it really is just Izumi-authentic, because its been an unchanging staple in the totem-laker's lifestyle for generations. I love you, Izumiiii!

    (5)

  • Megan S.

    After a long day of lawn mowing and weed pulling I headed out with the hubs and baby in tow to our "go to" sushi place, Salmon Creek. And what do we find? An empty store front with no info on when or why Salmon Creek closed, waaaaaaa........ So we headed over to Izumi and had a good not great sushi dinner. I really liked the salad, the cucumber thing and the miso that came with my meal but the main event, the sushi, was just so-so and one piece bordered on fishy. I got the Sushi lunch combo and it looked like all of the combos were made in the morning and stored for the lunch rush. Now that kinda thing is okay for multiple food groups, fish isn't one of them! I'm just not in love with the place and I guess now I'm on the hunt for "the one".

    (3)

  • laura m.

    Shito-san, we miss you! If you are looking through the reviews for Izumi and trying to decide if you want to go, just do. Go several times in fact, to get a feel for the rhythms of the place and the amazing seasonal offerings. We went 12-24 times a year for 4 years and we miss it. If you can endure living in Seattle (we ultimately couldn't) and you have this at your doorstep, well, aren't you so lucky!! --Laura & Tom, Phoenix, AZ

    (5)

  • Ben T.

    There are two basic kinds of Japanese food restaurants. "New Wave" sushi joints where Maki is king and they use ingredients like cream cheese and foie gras and deep-fry half their rolls, and traditional Japanese places. Traditional Japanese restaurants are usually run by a family and have lots of great Japanese food, including Sushi and Sashimi. This is (Hallelujah!!!) one of the best of the old school Japanese restaurants. Huge portions of great quality fish, great cooked food, crazily low prices, and a real foodie haven.

    (5)

  • Anna G.

    My favorite place for sushi/sashimi. Good sized pieces of tasty fish.

    (5)

  • Tiff T.

    My favorite sushi restaurant in Kirkland and within walking distance from the office! ;D

    (5)

  • Marina H.

    Come here, have a seat at the bar, and say the magic word "omakase", and voila, chef's selection of freshest fish that melts in your mouth is crafted right in front of you. The fish here is the freshest in town, as if it was frolicking in the water before jumping on your sushi tray. Everything is beautifully presented, with love and pride the chef takes in his work. Please note, you won't find any fancy rolls on the menu, this is not that type of place. Recently I tried their bento box for lunch, and was genuinely surprised with sashimi and nigiri choices inside it. It also came with lettuce salad, which I will skip next time - it is iceberg lettuce covered with Thousand Island dressing. Overall, this is "THE PLACE" for sushi, once of a kind, especially on the eastside.

    (5)

  • Tristan S.

    This is the best and most authentic Japanese food on the east side, and in the top three if you include Seattle. Unlike many Japanese restaurants, Izumi is actually run by Japanese people (as opposed to non-Japanese Asians), and I often hear Japanese being spoken by other customers when I am here. The quality of the food is consistently excellent, and the service is very good too.

    (5)

  • Silvia H.

    First time I went I ordered from the menu - wasn't wowed, but liked it enough to come back. Second time, sat at the sushi bar and let the chef decide for me and had an amazing dinner. Every time I've gone on Friday and Saturday night the place is packed.

    (5)

  • Joanne L.

    My friend and I absolutely loved this place! I'm from Boston, and was visiting a friend who lives in Kirkland. She believed there weren't any good sushi places in Kirkland until I found the reviews for this place on Yelp. We decided to check it out, and we weren't disappointed. The food was yummy, plentiful, and at the right prices. First, we each got salad, miso soup, this pickled cucumber dish, and seaweed. Then we got our entrees. She got the sushi and udon combo while I got the chirashi and udon combo. I've been to MANY Japanese restaurants, and I've never seen combos like that. Our combos came with a bowl of udon noodles AND tempura! The tempura was definitely unexpected, but such a delicious surprise. The sushi rice in the chirashi was made just right, and the sushi was melt in your mouth fresh. We were quite stuffed after this meal, but so satisfied. If I lived in the Kirkland area, I would definitely frequent this place often.

    (4)

  • Matt A.

    This place was great! The ebi tempura appetizer was delicious, light and wonderfully sized. The selection of both the sushi rolls and individual pieces of sushi were great. The toro was absolutely amazing. By far the best sushi place I've had since coming to Seattle.

    (5)

  • Paul H.

    Sushi lover for over 20 years and this place ranks up there with the best of them. Super fresh fish, traditional Japanese decor/service and an extremely knowledgeable sushi chef make Izumi a no brainer in my world.

    (4)

  • Alison J.

    The best quality of fish I have ever had. I was skeptical because of the location but the yelp reviews were spot on. I compare every other sushi place to Izumi and none can compare. I ate melt in your mouth unagi and maguro that was more like otoro. No fusion here- don't go if you are looking for rolls. This is a traditional sushi restaurant with excellent quality sashimi and nigiri.

    (5)

  • Alfa Alyssa E.

    This is my most favorite Sushi restaurant in Washington. I've eaten at another Japanese restaurant in Joliet IL and that place was mouth waterin delicious. Izumi is just as good. (Sigh...) The chef is very friendly and after reading the other reviews, do have to agree, service can be a little slow but it's not bad enough to complain about. Relax...enjoy yourself.. The sushi is quality. I love spicy scallops and their scallops melt in your mouth. Not everyone likes sushi (which always shocks me) but anyone I know that can appreciate sushi, I bring to this restaurant and it's always like I'm giving them the treat of their life. That's how I feel about it. Noone's ever been disappointed and I sure can't wait to go again. Sucks to have a boyfriend that is NOT a sushi freak like me...

    (5)

  • Tero P.

    I've eaten plenty of sushi and this is the best I've been to outside Japan. Nice traditional place, and great food. Dinner is not the cheapest but not on the expensive side either. Friendly staff and great food, you can't go wrong.

    (5)

  • Ken A.

    I love this place because It's a traditional japanese restaurant, with food made by japanese people. With all the "modernized" japanese joints these days, I really hope this place lasts forever.

    (5)

  • Jason M.

    I was in traveling in Redmond and decided to try the "best rated" sushi on Yelp. Izumi sushi is OK at best. I ordered the yellowtail tuna - big chunks of meat but I would rather have better quality. I left after a couple pieces and went around the corner and got a hot dog instead. I can name 5 better sushi places in Dallas and there is not an ocean in sight.

    (2)

  • Michael L.

    Easily the best sushi restaurant on the Eastside! (only 2nd to Shiro overall) Very fresh sushi, and I saw that they have a secret menu! I would definitely try that next time. I highly recommend the Omakase and Shito-san (the sushi chef) won't disappoint you =)

    (5)

  • I R.

    How its possible? We are regulars at Izumi for 30 years. Hard to believe same people same best quality sushi in a strip mall. Always fresh authentic food with generous portions served with traditional hospitality. We glad you guys still around after all those years and hope you stay forever.

    (5)

  • Akira S.

    Stamp. Of. A. Pprov. Al. Actually let me be specific so it's not just a tip. This is not a fusion restaurant. It's not Korean run, or Chinese owned. There are no neon lights or weird burrito kimchi rolls or anything that looks like it got crapped out of a rainbow unicorn piñata. The waitresses don't wear black semi-formal, they wear kimonos. Real stuff only. This is an authentic Japanese restaurant, and one you won't pay an arm and a leg for, and even if you do, well, there's good reason. They don't cater to the idiotic tastes people crave these days, none of that fusion crap. They don't do anything weird or hip or hipster with their food. Every time I come here, I overeat because I don't know when I'll get to eat food like this again (sorry mommy). I've seen Japanese restaurants in lots of places. New York's too expensive. North Carolina is meh. El Paso is just, just, no. Anchorage? Well, for a place known for its fishing community it's on the disappointing side... Excluding grandma's house or the select places in California, for obvious reasons, I don't know of too many places, if at all, that present an original, Japanese meal... Except Japan. Duh. If you're ever in Seattle, or really anywhere near the area, make it a point to come here. If Ichiro makes an effort to make a reservation here, there's a damn good reason. 30 years worth.

    (5)

  • Jessica K.

    Great "strip mall" sushi, spendy and .. Rude waitress! Okay very rude! Went on a Tuesday night and it was packed, thankful for reservation (only with party of at least 5). Would have rated a 4 stars but after one of the waitress accused me of eating the salad (yes!!! You heard it correctly, with finger pointing even...). I ordered 1) an al la carte teriyaki cod (I.e.) No rice, no salad) 2) a miso soup 3) tofu 4) white rice and my friend ordered a dinner serving of teriyaki salmon. We went as a party of 6 (2 kids), the men did their sashimi deal. My GF asked for her salad and the waitress pointed at me in a crowded restaurant and with the "typical Asian tone aka fifth tone (loud!)" accused me of eating my friend's salad which they never did serve, hah! Another waitress stood right behind with the salad that I apparently devoured. Yep, no apology for such blunt accusations upon realizing her own mistake. We were packed on to a small table meant for 4, kids are paying customers too ya know. $200+ to be humiliated for stealing salad....

    (1)

  • Heebeen K.

    This place is underrated!! Sushi quality is absolutely amazing! Parking is free but can be limited if it's dinner time. This place is always packed if you go during lunch, dinner time. So try to go in a little early or what I do is I place an order for pick up so I don't have to wait in line. Price is pretty reasonable as a sushi place in kirkland. And all servers are japanese and they are pretty nice. :)

    (4)

  • Jo L.

    So, this is probably the best sushi I have had on the east side, and it was just down the road from me, tucked away in a little strip mall. We've tried to come here before, but they don't take reservations unless you are in a group bigger than six people, and there is usually a line. However, this time we came in to see that there were only three groups ahead of us, so we decided to put or names down and wait. It was totally worth it. We got the omakase, tamago, toro sushi, spicy tuna roll and some seaweed salad. The seaweed salad was okay, but the omakase and the sushi were both really fresh tasting. The flavors were really bold and interesting on the omakase, and the tamago egg was really sweet but you could also taste the nori distinctively, and the toro was so buttery it would melt in your mouth. Yum. Service was really polite and unobtrusive, and our plates were quickly cleared as we ate our way through the sushi menu. Next time I want to sit at the bar!

    (5)

  • Ninette C.

    3.5 stars due to mixed feelings about this spot. The good: The black cod teriyaki was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. So soft, so buttery and so amazing! The ok: The sushi combo was pretty good in terms of freshness but the slices were way too large. On the one hand, it's awesome- more fish!- but that's not how sushi should be. That was bite-size for no one. The bad: The service is terrible. I had to ask for water multiple times and finally, I had to walk to the hostess and stand there and wait for the water. The waitress was SLOWWWWW and said awkward things when I asked for a water refill such as "I'll get yours later. Look- you have enough water!" I'd come back but I would try to be seated in a different area next time.

    (4)

  • Jean S.

    When I asked my soon-to-be 7-year old son where he wanted to go for his birthday dinner, he said to a sushi restaurant. My heart was singing, because I had been wanting to try Izumi since I first moved to Kirkland back in August 2014. I am glad we got to try the restaurant on a weekday when it was less busy and there was no wait. Well, "busy" being a relative term, because even without the restaurant at capacity, the staff was bustling about throughout our meal. I like that this restaurant is family-friendly - there were quite a few families with children there for dinner. I'm sure the later it gets, there are less kids and the ambiance takes on a more intimate feel. It is on the small side, so I can see how there is a wait during busy times. For our family of five, we ordered the agedashi tofu, large sushi platter (comes with miso soup), Manila clams steamed in sake, tonkatsu dinner (comes with miso soup and salad), sashimi dinner (comes with soup and salad) - and later in the meal, we added an order of ebi tempura. The agedashi tofu was excellent - lightly battered, not too heavy and bathed in a tasty sauce. The clams were good quality but not very exciting when it came to flavor. The quality of the sushi and sashimi was good - but I would not say great. I was struggling to enjoy some of the pieces at the end of the meal. We also ordered uni a la carte, and although it was creamy and cool in texture, I tasted a slight iodine flavor that overrode any sweetness, which was disappointing. The tonkatsu and tempura shrimp were very good - they do fried foods well. All in all, it was a very good sushi meal, but I can't say it's better than the meals I have enjoyed at I Love Sushi in Bellevue as an Eastside winner. But for the convenience of being in Kirkland, I am very happy to have a solid sushi option.

    (4)

  • Glenda J.

    Sunday dinner at 6 pm: omakase (chef's choice) at the bar. We were asked whether we wanted 10 pieces or more each. We opted for 10. Once the chef asked whether there was anything we did not like, he started our orders. All very fresh, some he'd flavored so no soy sauce was needed: Thai Snapper (left), Striped mahi Hen clams (top) Geoduck Shrimp (shrimp heads are deep fried): yes, it sounds gross but you gave to try it. Mackerel Hamachi King salmon Tuna Uni Had to have melt in the mouth otoro!! Delicious is an understatement. Perfect with nigori - unfiltered sake. My go-to place for sushi!!

    (5)

  • Nina H.

    Went back to have an omakase dinner at the bar and it was an amazing experience. The chef created a combination of sashimi and sushi pieces for us and everything was so good! It was very crowded on a Saturday night, and bar seats were the only ones left but you can't order from the dinner menu - which was totally fine. Omakase is more fun anyway. We had fresh scallops, some kind of special big clam, mackerel, king crab, amaebi, tuna, salmon, toro, uni and ikura. Everything was melt in your mouth amazing, and some of the fish pieces were HUGE! Like jabba the hut huge. Service was a bit meh because they didn't refill our tea/waters, but that's fine. The food was memorable and that's what I care about. I hear their lunch specials are great also!

    (5)

  • Kristel Y.

    I measure my Japanese restaurant experiences by how much it reminds me of my childhood. Izumi gave me straight up flashbacks to summers with my grandmas, so five stars from me. We went on a Sunday night (no reservations) and had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated. The waitresses are mostly older Japanese ladies wearing kimonos. Hearing their sing-song voices talking to each other in Japanese and talking to customers in polite, old Japanese lady accents filled me with so much joy that I feel like I smiled during most of the meal. Our server was super sweet and attentive. I had the beef teriyaki and tempura combo. The portion size was super generous (it felt like I was eating two meals). The meat was tender and the tempura was very crispy. My family also had the tonkatsu, sukiyaki, chicken teriyaki, and udon. Everyone loved their food and we all left with smiles on our faces and warm food in our tummies. If you're looking for straight up Japanese comfort food -- this is it. The restaurant is on the smaller side, so I'm not sure if this is the best place for large parties. But this is the perfect place for a Sunday evening dinner with my family.

    (5)

  • Derek L.

    Seriously, Izumi is still the BEST place to eat sushi for lunch in Kirkland. Came here for lunch during a weekday, this place filled up as soon as they opened their door. Their Bento Box is so yummy delicious. For 15 buck you get a sushi, grilled chicken, tempura, bowl of rice, miso soup and salad. The appearance of the sushi was vibrant and shiny, super moist and tender. I ordered a side of Uni and that was just amazing since the Uni disperses once it hits your mouth and without having that pungent odor.....yummy! Service: Quick and they are so polite. Price: For the amount of food and the high quality of sushi, the price were reasonable. Highly recommended to anyone that love Sushi and near Kirkland.

    (5)

  • Jessica K.

    Exceptional sushi, much better than the majority of sushi places in Seattle. Super fresh, great taste and melts in your mouth. Comparable in quality to what you would get in Tokyo. $22 for the 9-piece assorted sushi platter was reasonable too.

    (4)

  • Mariel L.

    Izumi is definitely my go to. Their sushi cuts are fairly sized and fresh. They do not take reservations, so if you're heading in for dinner there will be some wait time. Although they have a very friendly staff, service can be a bit slow. You have to wave someone down for water or tea refills.

    (4)

  • David C.

    The place is really clean and service was great. I had the Teriyaki chicken and my friend had Sushi. The sauce was amazing but the chicken was a little on the tough side. Seating was a little tight but the quiet atmosphere made it nice. Soup, salad, and Orange slice were good. Loved the sliced carrots most of all. Would recommend this place for sure.

    (4)

  • Sarah H.

    Very friendly staff, excellent food. I had sashimi and it was the best I've ever had! I ordered one small sashimi platter and ended up ordering a second one because the quality of the fish was outstanding! Please try this place ASAP!

    (5)

  • Moody S.

    Looking for some high-quality sushi? Keep on looking. PROS: service is great...once you get past the very odd self-signing-in system they have at the front door. Water tastes fresh too. Really can't think of anything else. CONS: the self-signing-in sucks. I walked in not knowing about that very odd system, didn't see a host so I stood there waiting for one to greet me. A couple who had obviously been here before, came in after me, signed-in and got seated before me. It took some self-meditating to remain calm, stay, and not walk out in the hopes the food would be worth it. Now in terms of food, it was beyond underwhelming and of sub-par quality. Edemame was ice cold, flavorless and soggy. Fried Ebi was so fried I couldn't tell if there was truly any shrimp in there besides the tail. But I still held out and hoped the sushi would win me over, especially given the fact it has 4-stars on Yelp! and is the highest rated sushi joint in Kirkland. Another big miss. The sake was average and the hamachi was almost inedible. Very disappointed. PARKING: plenty of parking in the strip mall. All-in-all, I feel a little sick and definitely not coming back. Too bad.

    (2)

  • Joe H.

    Their sashimi is great! I didn't really eat anything else, so I can't judge on other dishes. I had toro, sake, hamachi, and geoduck there before and all were excellent. Highly recommended. Probably the best sushi place on the eastside. They accept Amex!

    (4)

  • Yang C.

    Should have been 4 stars... Really should have been. This sushi joint has quite the following so be prepared to wait. Luckily everyone waiting in front of us wanted cooked foods from the menu so we were able to bypass them and sit at the bar. To each their own, but I've always been a fan of eating at the bar even if it means not having access to a restaurant's cooked foods menu. Anyhow, the sushi chef we had was courteous and friendly. We ordered the omakase and everything served met expectations. This doesn't mean my mind was blown, but I wasn't disappointed. What dropped this place a star is because of the last piece of fish I had. I ordered a hamachi nigiri from the chef and immediately I should've known to cancel it when he reached for pre-sliced hamachi in his case. However, I didn't want to be rude and accepted the piece graciously. BIG mistake. I don't think I have had a piece of sushi that was as stringy, chewy and revolting since that Chinese buffet debacle back in '04. All in all though, I would give this place another chance. Most of the sushi was good and service was prompt. I'll just make sure never to order hamachi here again.

    (3)

  • M N.

    Best sushi of my life! Sat at the sushi bar and had delightful conversation and insane Omasake. Will be back for more. Telling everyone. Small line out the door will not keep this sushi fanatic at bay!

    (5)

  • Wendy W.

    Parking okay. Portion sizes are SMALL Presentation is simplistic. cost is high for what we got compared to all other sushi places We won't be back.

    (2)

  • Zane H.

    The best sushi I've ever had-- Izumi is pricey, but only relative to the subpar sushi found on Kaiten belts. The sushi here is delicious and amazing for the price. Also highly recommended is the beef teriyaki-- easily the best teriyaki that I've ever tasted. If you're looking for a fancy meal but don't want to break the bank, Izumi is a great place to do so.

    (5)

  • Jennifer B.

    Traditional sushi place, no fancy rolls here This is a no frills, traditional sushi place - just how I like it. We made the trek here and risked trying to get seated within a decent time frame with no reservations allowed. The servers are old school so friendliness and quickness wasn't happening or maybe it was an off night. The layout doesn't make for a warm welcome or entrance since the hostess is a mile away from the door. really liked the owner/sushi chef and he created a wonderful omakase (chef's choice) meal for us at the bar. The sushi was fresh and flavorful with huge cuts of fish that hang out of your mouth as you try to stuff it in. We will come back again some day!

    (4)

  • J C.

    I admit I was skeptical when i first arrived - surely the GPS led me to the wrong place? My husband described this as my future favorite sushi place and I envisioned something .... more trendy, more hip, more luxe even. But no. Here we were. At a strip mall. On the upside, parking was easy, getting a table wasn't terrible for a Friday night and my lord it was actually authentic. I am not a foodie by any means but I like my Asian food Asian thank you very much. Please don't insult me and offer me the "American" version. Chicken on rice wrapped in seaweed is not sushi. Nor will it ever be. I understand that some restaurants need to cater to this clientele but I am not that clientele and I will hunt for authentic dining experiences. And Izumi is one of them. The presentation is meticulous, the fish fresh and the selection is satisfying. Maybe not what I had envisioned for date night but i am excited to bring my kids here and wouldn't worry about them eating the raw fish here. Not only will i return but this is officially the best place for sushi on the Eastside!

    (5)

  • Curt F.

    expected the worst, but this turned out to be pretty good. good competent Japanese food... great for a strip mall setting.

    (3)

  • S C.

    Best sushi place in town, if you want to get authentic Japanese food! The service was great too. The sashimi was fresh and delicious. Everything is simply a joy! Highly recommend the green tea ice cream!

    (5)

  • Cindy C.

    Wanted to get good sushi while we were in town. Boy am I happy that we dropped by. The wait wasn't too long. A Japanese restaurant run by Japanese people are difficult to come by these days. It's for sure authentic. You can tell by the miso soup and the Agedashi tofu sauce. The miso soup is not too salty and the agedashi tofu sauce is not overwhelmingly sweet. Most importantly the nigiri had more fish than rice! We ordered the omakase sushi and sashimi set. Tamago for the 2 yo son. I was in tears because the fish was so fresh! The carefully added condiments like grated ginger and green onions on the tuna tadaki brought the best flavor out of the ingredients. The tamago was done right because you can tell the egg was made up of layers and was very generously portioned. I also ordered the geoduck nigiri! Wow so fresh and sweet. Every thing I had was above and beyond what I had expected. We left so satisfied. It will be a meal to remember.

    (5)

  • Sompetch K.

    This sushi place is one of the best sushi in Kirkland so far :)

    (4)

  • Jake C.

    We seated 20 minutes before closure ahead of four other tables. The place is packed for Tuesday. There's a grandma-looking woman wrapped in peach robes and flip flops running between tables, clearing places, directing the equally busy staff. In the nook where she returns, there are piled receipts, a Seahawks championship flag and a packaged Buddha head. I suspect she is the glue. While the clientele seem mostly irritable, the staff are caring and focused, the food wasn't bad, wasn't notable, either. However, the presentation and delivery were gentle and pleasant. The men's room has a lock on it, but there's a urinal and a toilet. I invited the dude waiting behind me to use the other potty. As normal as it was, the both of us peeing into the water and making splooshing sounds, I did sense the restroom isn't often doubled up.

    (4)

  • Camille C.

    Oh happy belly! After a long hiatus after a few ok omakasi, I returned today to have one of the best! The fish was so fresh and tasted amazing! Faith restored!

    (5)

  • Arash M.

    Very good quality food and service. Definitely exceeded my expectation.

    (5)

  • April S.

    Best Sushi I've ever had between Seattle, a spot in LA and all of DFW. Line was long and we were last ones sat at 5 o'clock on Mother's Day. Authentic Japanese warm towel and food service. Sushi was super fresh and full of flavor and they put a bit of wasabi and salt on the sashimi, which is perfect. The Teriyaki beef was a 40 min wait and a disappointing dinner for my husband. I enjoyed the teriyaki sauce and rice myself. The fried oysters were flavorful and the tartar sauce was more refreshing than any tartar sauce I've ever had, but I would have preferred a cocktail sauce to compliment (now that I think about it, I should have put some wasabi in the ketchup sauce provided). The carrots were delightfully steamed and tender with a hint of jasmine and citrus. We also enjoyed some Agedashi Tofu and tempura veggies. Both were great and flavorful. The wait staff was very friendly and pleasant and provided a rose for all of the Moms. They handled the rush very well, though they seem to mismanage the timing of beef compared to the rest of service. We will be back very soon. Just may wait until 7 for dinner to avoid the rush.

    (4)

  • Angela W.

    My mom and I have been loyal customers for years now. We are both Japanese and are very picky when it comes to finding good, authentic Japanese cuisine. We always get their salmon teriyaki special for lunch and its BOMB. It's like crack. So so so good. Whatever they put in the sauce, it's to die for! Tempura is good as well, and so is everything else! That's usually what I get though and I'm pretty happy with it! The service is always really great too. Sometimes the wait can get up to 40 min depending on when you go but it's totally worth it.

    (5)

  • Adam P.

    Omakase (chef's choice) for 2 at the bar was solid. Uni, ama ebi, toro, hamachi were all oishii! What I was most impressed with at Izumi was it seemed nearly the entire staff spoke fluent Japanese and the sushi chef's were from Japan. Legit. Most places in Seattle you'll find Koreans, Mexicans behind behind the bar cutting fish but not here. My 5 star standard is Shiro's in Belltown but this is great quality that fits the price. Ninja Parv.

    (4)

  • Daniel S.

    Pretty good place, we went there on a Sunday night at 7:30 pm Mother's Day. Pretty busy and diverse set of customers. One nice thing we noticed was the staff handed roses to "assumed to be" mothers. I thought this was a thoughtful gesture to customers. Food was good I ordered the combo dinner (forgot the name starts with an 'M') but it is like a bento box for dinner. My wife ordered a combo Sushi and Chicken Teriyaki she enjoyed it as well. They have a pretty large selection of sushi and other items. We ordered an appetizer as well, the check came out to $58 (not including tip) a little pricy but worth it for the quality and quantity. I take off a star because the wait staff wasn't what I was expecting based on previous reviews of this place. Yes the rose idea is a good gesture for mothers but we were placed in an awkward table right between the hallway and the first section of the dining room and a tall plant was too close to the booth/table. I think they should reorganize that table better. Service for green tea refill was pretty slow and it was our only drinks (no water). The staff was asking to take away our washcloths way too often. I noticed they did this for the guy next to us too. When we first sat down in like 2 minutes the waitress asked us what we wanted to order, and we never had been there previously. Maybe I'm nitpicking the service but overall I would go again.

    (4)

  • Chris M.

    Terrible service. We waited in line for 30 minutes for a table. They took us to our table and said our two year old made us a table for 3. Plenty of room for a high chair. This is my second bad experience here.

    (1)

  • Elsie L.

    My daughter n a friend and myself went on a Sunday night n came home with a stomach ache, something wrong with the sushi or the sashimi in the Chirashi or the Black cod. Called the restaurant. They only apologize but not refunding the charges. Won't go again.

    (1)

  • Bianca C.

    Tried eating here tonight. Freaking wait line even for sushi bar (for 1 person). Impossible to wait 30min for bar. I believe it's really good Japanese food by the reviews and comments, but they need a better place. Accessible and bigger.

    (1)

  • Mark D.

    I grew up in Seattle and left four decades ago. I have always missed excellent authentic Japanese food. In a visit this week, I found it again. Simply put, the best Japanese food I have ever had, in four decades of looking. A short wait for a table for one, seated and served promptly. The Tempura and Beef Teriyaki combo was wonderful. I asked for the beef medium rare, and it was done exactly right. As others have said, their Teriyaki is not cloyingly sweet and syrupy, nor overly salty. I am a big guy, and I left full, extremely rare for a Japanese restaurant. Next time I return to Seattle, I will eat here every night.

    (5)

  • Chris C.

    Awesome food and service. Great sushi and very fresh !! When I come back to Seattle I will be back.

    (5)

  • Kathleen C.

    Food: I sat at the sushi bar and got omakase (10 pieces). The pieces of ngiri were too big for one bite. Then when I try to bite it in half, many of them were really hard to bite off. Tendon? I don't know what's up with it but I couldn't gracefully eat my ngiri. Super chewy. Not a great experience. Appetite wise, I coulda had more food, but I didn't want to bother with just ok/not that great sushi. Service: It was really difficult to understand the sushi chef. I asked him to repeat a couple times what he was serving and sometimes still didn't get it and just gave up. Sooo yah at a few that I had no idea what it was. I feel like he would say it real fast the first time and when I asked him what he said he wouldn't make it any easier to understand the second time around. Maybe speak a little slower? Prices: Pretty normal. Maybe a tad more affordable. Roughly $45 for my omakase w/ tax and tip. I liked Shiros a lot and was looking for something like that, but this place was not it. I guess not a 2 star bc it's better than places like sushiland I guess.

    (3)

  • Richard B.

    Not impressed with the dinner menu. I was expecting a large sushi menu. Very limited and I didn't find this very fresh or worth coming back for. Highly recommend Oto Sushi in Juanita.

    (3)

  • Yuanjia Z.

    OMG SO GOOD. For the price I paid, I'd totally give this place a five star! First of all, this place is own and run by japanese people. The chefs are japanese as well (not like some japanese restaurants I've been to - run by korean or chinese people). Second of all, their bowls, cups, boxes, etc. used are VERY JAPANESE. it made me feel like I was actually in Japan. Although there was a bit of a wait, but they tried to be as speedy as possible in an organized manner. So we got seated fairly quickly. My favorite was their red wild salmon. That stuff just melt in my mouth. Not that fatty and fishy compared to farm raised salmon. Definitely VERY WILD. They also did a good job with their tempora, and veges in the lunch box. I would not recommend the sashimi in the lunch box tho - they are not bad but compared to those wild salmon, they are just not as good, but the lunch box was definitely very affordable price wise and gave you some variety. I would definitely come back for more next time when i'm in town!

    (5)

  • Rob B.

    Best sushi in town. Family run forever. Friendly staff, fresh seafood. What more can you ask for? This hidden gem is off the beaten path in Totem Lake. Worth the effort to find.

    (4)

  • Hung Q.

    Chef's choice Sushi was awesome!

    (5)

  • jenn t.

    Best place for authentic sushi and Japanese food in the Seattle area. High quality, always fresh fish without the crazy over $100 bill. Friendly and thoughtful staff -- accommodating to my special request to make my sushi (of cooked items) with a clean chopping board and knife that's not contaminated by raw fish -- I am pregnant. Chef went above and beyond expectations by sending out my tamago sushi pair with a baby. :D

    (5)

  • Jordan I.

    I love the food here. I'm from out of town and was so impressed with this hidden gem that I ate here for dinner two nights in a row. Highly recommend the Black Cod Teriyaki. Staff was fine, not unfriendly as others have posted.

    (4)

  • Ashley M.

    Fantastic sushi, worth a trip to the east side. Very traditional style sushi, sashimi, and donburi bowls. My boyfriend and I have had consistently good food every time we've gone over the last few years. The makunouchi is a wonderful sampler if you want "a little of everything". Also recommend the soft shell crab rolls, tuna, salmon, and tamago. Their fish is always fresh and excellently trimmed. It is a small restaurant, so plan accordingly. Do NOT assume you can walk in during lunch or on a Fri/Sat night and immediately get a table. This place is busy for a reason. I recommend dining here when you have time to relax and enjoy your food. Minus a star for parking being rough sometimes and service often slow when you're trying to pay the bill. Otherwise, excellent little gem.

    (4)

  • Briana F.

    I'm not going to repeat everyone's reviews, just want to help out a truly amazing restaurant with their YELP stats! High quality, authentic Japanese food at a fair price. The staff is unbelievably nice and accommodating. I'd say the only thing missing is that "high end" restaurant ambiance...but if you are just looking for delicious food and not a fancy shmancy date place then this is your best bet.

    (5)

  • Korry P.

    Soft Shell Crab roll is awesome and man that thing is huge.

    (5)

  • Eric N.

    Had my first experience here last night - wound up getting the Sushi Platter, which was a good assortment of shushi (9 pcs.) with 6 pieces of rolls. The fish was fresh and tasty, they handled our group of 15 without problems, and even were nice enough to split the check up for us (that was nice with a group so large!). We definitely got some food envy looking at a friend's dinner though - looks like the Bento Box (Izumi Special) may be the way to go to get a mix of sushi, sashimi, beef teriyaki, veggies, etc. That looked like a lot of food for a great price. It was a little slow, which was my only complaint, but I'm willing to give them a pass on the speed since it doesn't look like they're accustomed to handling groups of 15 at once.

    (4)

  • Y N.

    one of my favorite sushi spots. legit japanese food, not too expensive, not too loud, always a good night at Izumi!

    (5)

  • Sam R.

    Have been here 2 times recently and probably won't be back. First visit had the large sushi platter. Decent flavor, but the pieces were all too big. I have a decent sized mouth, but every piece was uncomfortable to eat in one bite, except for the miniature sized roll. Second visit tried the teriyaki black cod, based on several other Yelp reviews. Very average. Service was average on the first visit, and painfully slow on the second. Asked for a glass of water when I ordered, and after asking a second time it finally showed up, just as I was finishing my dinner. Took well over 20 minutes to pay the bill.

    (3)

  • ek i.

    Had omakase and it was superb (toro, geoduck, 3 different salmons, 2 different tunas, etc.) Great value too.

    (5)

  • Pi-Yu C.

    I visited the store twice two years apart. Both times they are closed for vacations. Please check their website and read about the closures before your plan. So far I have no luck tasting their food.

    (2)

  • R I.

    This is as authentic as sushi place can be in the states. The quality and freshness of sushi is as good as those high rated sushi places in Japan. Tonkatsu is also very delicious too. I am glad to find this place in Kirkland.

    (5)

  • Makeda T.

    I've been going to this restaurant for at least the past 12 years and still love the food and the service.

    (5)

  • L M.

    Izumi has fresh fish, but their menu and dishes are nothing special and their service is nothing to be proud of. (more on that...read on...) Izumi is a small restaurant in a strip mall in Kirkland. It has a common Asian restaurant ambiance that is nothing special. I was told this place had THE BEST sushi in the area. Their sushi fish was very fresh and they gave you larger-than-normal pieces, but it was a façade because the pieces were cut VERY thin. The menu at Izumi is also nothing special. Based on people's comments here I was expecting some extravagant things to be on the menu. (e.g. like "homemade ginger tea", "homemade Udon noodles", or "Sukiyaki" to name a few.) The wait staff was very poor. There couldn't have been more than 50 people in the restaurant and the 4 waitresses and two owners were running around like crazy people. They didn't even offer my 1 year old son a highchair. Their hospitality was very poor. They did a lot of smiling, but ACTIONS speak louder than "smiles". :) We were brought our meals at random times and no one was eating at the same time. Plus our waitress never came back to our table after she took our orders.

    (1)

  • Yummy P.

    As you've stated, I did not let it's strip mall location turn me off. The service may not be slow but keep in mind - there are only 2 servers and they try their very best to ensure each and every guest is tended to. The food was yummilicious! Yes, I said: "YUMMILICIOUS"! lol Having Hawaii as my comparison, it's been hard to find good "Asian Cuisine". I have been to multiple "Asian" restaurants and find "Toyoda Sushi", "Umi Sake House" and "Izumi" to be the current front runners. I sat at a "table" and found it pleasantly enjoyable! I have plans to visit again, only this time - at the sushi bar!

    (4)

  • Flora C.

    Beside Menaki in C-Town, Seattle, Izumi is the other most authentic Japanese restaurant with great sushi, chef and tradition. Obasan always dressed in kimono and taking care of customers. The sushi master will not intentionally over feed you and will always only cater the best to your liking. He used a pinkish color solid rock salt block on some sushi. He is a well-rounded sushi master. Izumi is not like Shogun in Belltown. The chef will not have a long face or not let you to have wasabi in your sushi/sashimi because it overpowered the fresh seafood. Izumi master is willing to sushi educate you if you are interested. All in all, I am glad that it is so closed by to my home. A true hidden gem! Tips: Happy Tuesday 10% off for their 25th Anniversary. Note: No kitchen order at sushi bar.

    (4)

  • Betty V.

    I love the food here. I am Japanese and grew up in Japan so I am a Japanese restaurant snob - I like my Japanese food prepared by Japanese people and I like my servers speaking Japanese. This is my go-to place when I take my 89 year old dad to lunch. He's elderly and confused but he will stay awake and eat a full serving of the sukiyaki when I bring him here! Sushi is always good, lunch specials are a good deal and the makunouchi bento is my daughter's favorite!

    (4)

  • Mike M.

    Izumi can be summed up in one word - stingy. The food itself is not bad. I won't admit to it being the best sushi I've had, but it's a good choice for a quick lunch. The prices, however, make what could've been a 4-star rating into a 3-star rating. For the price you pay, you do not get the portions you'd expect. As an example, when you get a sushi roll for $5.99, you'd expect a full roll. At Izumi, you get two pieces. Pros: - Food Quality is pretty good, it's not the best sushi, but it's a good choice for a quick lunch. - The service is very nice, I had a great experience with the wait staff. Very courteous and very mindful of your experience with them. - Parking is VERY spacious - you'll find a spot at any time of day. Cons: - Portion size for the price. This isn't a place you want to go everyday. While the food is good, it's not on-par with the asking price. - The restaurant itself is quite cramped. When trying to get a group of co-employees to join in on a lunch, we found ourselves nearly shoulder to shoulder with a small family group next to us. It was pretty uncomfortable. Verdict: ***. Fair rating for a fair experience. For those who are pinching your pennies - avoid. And for those looking for a "Good Buy"...this will disappoint.

    (3)

  • Camille C.

    This sushi place will not disappoint! I've been here several times & it has not let me down. As soon as you walk in the atmosphere is very authentic Japanese-esque (SP?) The Japanese ladies are so cute in their kimonos. The chicken teriyaki was delicious. I don't know what's so different about it but I love it! Yes, the food is pricey but the food & service are well worth it!

    (5)

  • Ginger N.

    Not sure where my previous Izumi review went. Best sushi fish in town, including Seattle! I don't eat rolls or other carby items here much but the sushi fish is always great to amazing. We are regulars and raw fish lovers. Must try!

    (5)

  • Juliet D.

    great little spot. only tried it once, but they put a very nice amount of hotate in my spicy scallop roll. thus, great value! will try again if i'm in the area.

    (4)

  • Karen W.

    This place is outstanding especially for the location. Enjoyed everything we tried and will be back soon! Thanks for great service and food!

    (5)

  • Lilia C.

    It's about time I write a review for my favorite sushi joint I have tried in Washington. Everything is so fresh and the lunch combos are extremely affordable. I usually get the sashimi lunch which includes 9 pieces of sashimi, a small bowl of rice, small serving of miso soup, a small salad (get the ginger dressing), and a small serving of sunomono which will cost you $15. All is great and the sashimi comes as generous sized cuts and is so fresh. I have never had a bad piece of fish here. I have also tried the spicy tuna roll, udon soup, tempura, various nigiri - and it is all great. I do also like Izumi for dinner even though it tends to cost a bit more. The last visit my dining partner and I split the Kanisu (King Crab with cucumber and seaweed with san-bai-zu vinegar sauce - $12) and they were very generous with the crab portions! We received 5 large chunks and it definitely contributed to my being completely stuffed by the end of dinner. I opted for the 11 piece sashimi dinner ($25) which came with everything that the lunch comes with. My partner ordered the sushi and udon combo that also comes with all the sides - very good. I have also tried the Omakase sashimi while sitting at the bar which is also delicious. It is so hard to try a new sushi restaurant because I always end up coming back to Izumi. I don't think it's possible to go wrong here. All of my sushi loving friends from out of town also rave about this spot and growing up on the west coast and living in Japan for a few years - I have tried a fair amount of sushi. None of those frilly rolls piled with cream cheese and deep fried, this is a great spot for fresh fish.

    (5)

  • April W.

    Very bad service. They didn't gave us a spoon for the miso soup. It's ridiculous! When we requested a spoon, the waitress asked us what kind of spoon do we need. Doesn't she know how to do her job? Plus the salad is not fresh at all! There are many nice sushi bars to go to. We strongly don't recommend this one if you want to enjoy a nice meal.

    (1)

  • Michael G.

    Very good.

    (4)

  • Nick C.

    I have been going here since I was a baby and I can still stay it is one of my favorite restaurants. The menu is so comprehensive, yet everything is well prepared and fresh. The food doesn't try to be trendy or flashy, its just good, simple, food that almost tastes homemade. I love the beef sukiyaki on a cold night! Mmm.

    (5)

  • Dennis M.

    Pros... The food was good. Cons... The service was really bad. The restaurant wasn't crowded so it wasn't an issue of time. It was an issue of our waitress never checked back on us and at times blatantly ignored us. I almost never give bad reviews (check my others) however the lack of service was egregious enough to out weigh the quality of the food. Grade F

    (1)

  • Dave F.

    Found this place on Yelp while staying across the street for work. Glad I got there early because the sushi bar and whole restaurant got packed pretty quickly. I was lucky to be seated near a couple regulars so I could scope out their orders. I went with the chef's choice nigiri plate. It was the right choice. The chef knows is serious about what he does and everything was as good as I've had. Every piece was so fresh and tender I could have eaten twice as much. I added two more pieces of maguro and tamago to top it off and both were terrific. Staff was friendly and helpful, and it has the feel of a neighborhood restaurant where the owners know the regulars but make everyone feel welcome. From the people sitting next to me I got great recommendations for some hikes in the area, and the chef gave me a sushi place to check out when I get home to Chicago - he's ultra picky about his fish and vouched for this place, so I'll have to give it a shot. Only possible knock is the price - a little higher than most places, but you will not be disappointed. I'll gladly pay for quality sushi, and Izumi is some of the best I've had.

    (5)

  • Azuki M.

    Delicious and authentic! Chirashi is the way to go!

    (5)

  • Tami H.

    I first came to Izumi when I moved to Kirkland and at the time recalled it being the best sushi around. Since then, I've tried numerous sushi places in the Seattle area, so perhaps Izumi just doesn't stand out for me anymore. Yes, the fish is super fresh and cuts are beautiful. However, rolls are too heavy and the sashimi just didn't blow me away like last time. The other issue is that service is spotty and a bit on the unfriendly side. I would come back and try more of the hot dishes -- there is great variety on the menu. But for now, Kiku Sushi will remain my neighborhood sushi place!

    (3)

  • Tiger K.

    Very fresh sushi house. Service is ok but the qualify would definitely over do the service at a sushi restaurant.

    (5)

  • Tien N.

    The freshest sashimi set I've had in a long time! We also ordered the nabeyaki (spell check) udon and miso soup. Everything was flavorful and on point. Despite me not being prepared for the hidden wasabi that already came with the sashimi and dipping it into more wasabi soy sauce... So please clarify with them if you like your wasabi on the side lol. That was torturous and my fault I did not realize. Wish we had more room to try their hand rolls and spider roll. Will come back! Friendly service is a plus for my experience as well. Oh and the Andes chocolate when receiving your tab ;)

    (5)

  • Danielle C.

    I was about to give this place 3 stars for the service alone but the food was good enough that I will bump it up to 4 stars. I came here with some friends on a Friday night and the place was rather busy. However, that is no excuse for the extremely long wait times. In fact, the table seated behind us even left before ordering dinner - I am pretty sure they had waited 30-60 minutes before deciding to leave. Our table also took about 30-45 minutes to get properly acknowledged and orders placed, which is a bit long and thus dragged the dinner out. For the dinner, I got the sukiyaki. The portion size was huge! You could definitely feed two people with this. The broth was delicious though and there was plenty of beef pieces for me to eat. My boyfriend had leftovers and thought the food was great. He couldn't stop eating it. I had the ikura as well, and it was decent. Nothing wrong with it.

    (4)

  • Meesh P.

    Awesome sushi- mostly sashimi and nigiri types. If you're looking for crazy variety of rolls and things like that, this is probably not the best choice. But it has some of the freshest, tastiest sashimi and sushi that I've had. Had a really authentic feel to it. Super happy I found a place so close to home and with great quality!

    (4)

  • Lee D.

    In a desperate search to find amazing sashimi and sushi for our weekly date night, I turned to my fellow Yelpers for advice. After living in Washington for only 7 months, I wasn't quite sure who had the best sushi or sashimi. I've been to Blue C Sushi and it's fun and good but I wanted something really good. Many reviewers said Izumi is the best sushi/sashimi on the Eastside but I was a bit skeptical when people say it's the BEST. We arrived around 6pm and the Friday wait wasn't too bad, about 15 minutes - be sure to write your name on the clipboard as they didn't have a hostess. My wife and I both ordered the sashimi dinner plate, California rolls and roasted eel rolls. The sashimi plate came with a salad, cucumber salad, miso soup, big bowl of rice and 12 pieces of LARGE sashimi. The fish was amazing, so fresh tasting and creamy. The side dishes were also good but the star of the meal was the sashimi. The rolls were great as well, I loved that the California roll used real snow crab instead of imitation crab. The price for everything was $68. It left us extremely satisfied and I too, now believe it's the best of the Eastside.

    (5)

  • Jessica K.

    I really did not enjoy either of my experiences at Izumi. The chef spent a lot of time talking and entertaining one side of the sushi bar, I want to say it was at LEAST 10 minutes before he even said a word to me or my significant other both times. He loved being the center of attention, which is completely fine, but it was really annoying that that was the reason we were not even being acknowledged. The service from the servers was super mediocre. We spent quite a bit of money here and I don't feel it was justified. I prefer Shiro's by far. Same prices but much better service-- both have good food, but the overall experience at Shiro's, every time we've gone, had us leaving with huge smiles on our faces, unlike Izumi. So unfortunate because Izumi is 5 minutes away.

    (2)

  • Cy L.

    The fish is heavenly. Atlantic Salmon, white king salmon, coho salmon. Hamachi. Toro. Everything is so melt in your mouth good. For some reason, sushi cuts at the sushi bar are bigger, and fattier than if you sit at a table. It's not a perception, but a fact. Not sure if that is a Japanese tradition or not. I usually order sashimi at other restaurants but when i'm here its nigiri at the sushi bar. Oh, did I mention you will taste the fattiest biggest pieces... wait i'm rambling and repeating myself.. maybe i'm obsessed with this place now? DON"T COME HERE. PLEASE. I don't want it to be too crowded.

    (5)

  • Sindy H.

    I guess they are very authentic. Since I've been in japan and know this is how they serve and greet! I would give them five points for service without doubt. Food tasted good but not as perfect:)

    (4)

  • William B.

    The other reviewers nailed it, no reason to read mine. We had Edamame and the tempura ala carte for appetizer, wife and I ordered the sashimi dinner (comes with the salad, miso). Sashimi dinner arrives in a cool looking boat! FAT pieces of fish. My #2 son had the unagi dinner (fat pieces again), #1 son had two rolls. Dinner for 4 after tax, tip around $100. I am SOOOOO glad we went here and came out sated with awesome food, instead of going to Haiku or that Blue-that-shall-not-be-named buffet. Service a little on the slow side, and the meals arrived uneven, c'est la vie. Or whatever they say in Japanese.

    (5)

  • Allen D.

    Shito, the sushi chef really knows his stuff. I go to this restaurant at least once every time I visit the Seattle area. The focus at Izumi is on quality and variety (at least 50 varieties, almost all local) of the fish, not so much the trendy ambience or dish presentation. That's just fine with me, I have easily spent 4 times more per person on sushi (I live in West Los Angeles) and not had it be this good. Just go and sit at the bar and eat whatever the chef gives you. You will not be let down.

    (5)

  • Charles M.

    Excellent - simply excellent. I am a big fan of pure-play Japanese food, and this place gets the 5 stars. There aren't many places like Izumi's out there as American culture has pushed Japanese food towards fusion style rolls such as Lion King, Volcano, Spider, etc. rolls. These rolls not only pack thousands of calories, but in no way reflect Japanese culture. It's like asking for pizza at Pizza Hut and calling it Italian. The grade of fish is top notch, proportions are correct and the skills behind cutting the fish are clearly at a "Master Chef" level. I'm a weekly regular and will continue to be.

    (5)

  • Mary B.

    Authentic restaurant for sure. If you like real Japanese sushi and sashimi this is your place. The chef is so funny as well, love the humor. Decor - great setting, very traditional. Waitress wears a kimono and is so nice. I loved that they supported the Tsunami, raising funds by selling baked good. Food - awesome but expensive. Really like the selection and food. Recommend the clam soup, 11 piece sashimi (fresh), miso soup, Agadeshi tofu and Asari. Service- Great, they are so nice polite. Good service

    (4)

  • Shawna H.

    The staff was very friendly here, which was great, and then came the sushi!! The largest cuts of fish I have ever seen. Indeed, it is difficult for me and my small American mouth to fit it all in but I am not complaining! The fish tasted very fresh and the prices can't be beat. I will definitely be going back for more.

    (4)

  • Angie B.

    I used to go here years ago when I worked for a little software company. While the software company is no longer, I'm sure glad Izumi remains! After a several year hiatus, I returned with high hopes for a fabulous sushi fix & they delivered. For lunch I enjoyed the $12.95 6 pieces Nigiri & 6 roll pieces (i.e., small, basic, single-item rolls, not anything fancy). The Nigiri was a nice assortment, chef's choice - but most of your basics - tuna, salmon, shrimp, clam and a few others. Sushi was very fresh-tasting & generously-sized. This came with tea, miso & a small salad. I noticed there was a bento-type special for about the same price & many tables around me appeared to have ordered it. The tempura looked great - I'll definitely be going back to sample that next!

    (4)

  • Conde H.

    Out of all the sushi places that I've been to so far, (still need to add reviews to them), Izumi is the number one place! Wonderful food, wonderful service and pleasant surroundings. Makes me hungry for sushi and sashimi just writng this review!

    (5)

  • Rita E.

    I yelped this one before heading over there and took the advice given by a previous yelper to sit at the sushi bar & have an "omakase" style meal. Basically, the chef decides your menu. He asked me about how many pieces I wanted, and what I liked. I told him that I would leave it all in his hands. I ended up trying a little bit of everything, and learned that I really liked a lot of what they had to offer. Everything was very fresh. If you've never tried geoduck, do it! The chef was so welcoming and conversational. There seemed to be quite a few regulars at the bar, and it was nice to see the repoire between the chef & a repeat customer. Great portions. Great service. Yes, the meal was on the higher end of the scale, but one of these every now and then is worth it when the food is really that good.

    (4)

  • H I.

    Went there with a family of 4. We had a 3 year old boy with hyper-allergic to dairy, wheat, soy, etc, so brought a lunch box for him, and we ordered for 3 lunch menus from them for the rest of us. The owner lady complained what we did. We explained about the food allergy issue with my little boy. We even apologized for not mentioning them in advance for being polite (which we knew it was unnecessary as all other restaurants never complain for things like this), but surprisingly, the owner lady said "such a kid should not come to restaurants!!". We were so surprised that she said that. My wife kept crying after lunch as she felt to be so offended. We were supposed to enjoy the lunch but were ruined by them. This happened years back, and we decided to not go back there. Never. Not ever. I know there are bunch other young parents with little kids with food allergy nowadays, and I hope they don't have to experience what we did. Such an experience will hurt both parent and the kid.

    (1)

  • Bridgid N.

    AWESOME SUSHI BAR! No frills, nothing fancy. Family owned and staffed, the fish shines here. Shito-San is incredible - sit at the sushi bar and he will take great care of you. Great proportion of fish to rice - not like the malls or the supermarkets, and yet, still affordable. For example, a Spicy Tuna Roll is about $6.50. Not bad! Portions are large, service is great. Gets crowded in the evenings at the sushi bar.

    (5)

  • RandE W.

    I have frequented this place for more than 15 years... traditional Japanese menu, straight ahead sushi bar, nothing trendy, but the quality of fish and skill of the chefs is legendary. A little Momokawa silver sake and heaven!

    (5)

  • Lucas F.

    Hands down the best sushi place in Kirkland/Juanita. I rarely give 5 stars, but this place deserves it. I'd really give it 4.5 stars, the location is the only drawback. But, I'm rounding up because the people here have such a great attitude. Huge slices of fish, the freshest uni around, and the sushi-chef is always willing to make you something special. The Miso soup here is fantastic, and the bento specials leave your stomach swollen. And now the chef has me wanting to buy a knife that takes a 5 year waiting list to get. Arg, Izumi, you do me so right!

    (5)

  • Brad F.

    Surely you cannot find excellent sushi in a random strip mall in a suburb 15 miles from Seattle! YES, you can! And don't call me Shirley. This might be the freshest sushi I have had since I went to the Tsukiji market in Tokyo. The fish-to-rice ratio is quite high, and the flavor is so pleasant on all the different rolls I tried. I especially liked the Uma Kyu Roll, which is eel and some other tasty treats in a standard roll. I typically have unagi in nigiri form, but this roll was really excellent. One small complaint I had was the spicy sauce in the spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls... not enough flavor! But that's okay, because the freshness of the fish just came out all that much more. I mentioned in my review of Sushi Land in Redmond that the atmosphere is somewhat ruined by the lack of actual Japanese employees, but this place has the authenticity in spades. It has the feel of a family-run restaurant, with cute, old Japanese women in kimono serving you. I love breaking out my Japanese with them - they light up when they see a 6'3" white gaijin speaking their native language, however poorly he may be doing so. =) The price is very reasonable. I had a very large assortment of a la carte sushi for about $16. This included four futomaki rolls, six spicy tuna rolls, two tamago nigiri, and four una kyu rolls. Sixteen pieces at sixteen dollars is a pretty average price in the area, but the quality is much MUCH higher than average, making this an excellent value. I came for dinner on a Tuesday night, and it was just below capacity. If you're on the Eastside and you're looking for some incredible sushi, this is the place to go. I haven't tried their entrees (such as tonkatsu or chicken teriyaki), but why would I?! The sushi is what you should come for. Impress your waitress! If you want more water, say "Mizu o mo sukoshi onegai shimasu!" (Just pronounce it phonetically!) When she clears your plates, say "Gochisousama deshita!" with your biggest, cutest smile on!

    (5)

  • Jeremy M.

    Hey man, this place ain't half bad. For real, the food is very traditional Japanese. I can say that cause I married one of them and she said so. It's not your typical, Americanized sushi place. Their house sake was good. Good enough that I don't even know what to write. Oh, service! Service was fantastic. Very nice and awesome and cool and yeah!

    (5)

  • Marty S.

    First time diner, very good experience. I had the maguro plate and it was delicious and fresh. had to wait 20 minutes to get a table but I guess that's a good sign. Service was very good considering how busy it was. I will definitely go again.

    (4)

  • Stan L.

    skip the rolls and order the excellent nigiri and omakas.. it's decent price for high quality stuff.. although not as good as Shiro's.. this place does have more space at the sushi bar and you don't have to stand in line for an hour plus to grab a seat..

    (5)

  • Nils S.

    Best spicy tuna rolls I've ever had. Unagi wasn't bad either.

    (4)

  • Alex N.

    Went to Izumi for dinner with my family recently, and enjoyed it a lot. Japanese restaurants are a little more on the difficult side to find out in the Kirkland and Bellevue area, but we definitely found a good spot. Izumi is located in the Totem Lake area, in a big complex. The ambience is very traditional, not contemporary like some of the spots in the Seattle area, but this has a more authentic feel to it. I'm really into sushi, so I decided to get the Large Sashimi platter, while my mom chose the Beef Sukiyaki and my dad got the Chirashi. I was impressed with the quality of my platter-specifically the Tuna. It was very tasty and was cut perfectly. My mom enjoyed her beef sukiyaki, and said it was one of the best she's ever had. My dad liked his Chirashi as well, and was pleased with the amount he received. Service was good too, the people were very polite and took great care of us. It's not the flashiest place, nor the cheapest place, but overall Izumi was definitely worth it. I recommend it to anyone looking for a go-to Japanese spot in the eastside.

    (4)

  • William S.

    The beef sukiyaki is really good. I also like their miso soup. I would give 5 stars but feel they are somewhat overpriced.

    (4)

  • Amy N.

    Izumi is my favorite place to go for years and so do my circle of friends. I have friends from Japan, LA and SF which they all love to come to Izumi and think they have the best quality fish! Shito-san is the best in biz and he personally cares so much about what he does and his customers. This place is all about freshness & the most seasonal selections. The fish is always fantastic and is prepared with love & extreme attention. This is more traditional sushi preparation so don't ask for brown rice on your nigiri or spicy mayo. I especially love the sea urchin season where Shito-san would prepare live Uni for his customers. Izumi is my go-to sushi place and I love it there.

    (5)

  • Beatrice W.

    Fabulous, fantastic and a bag of chips!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Catherine Z.

    Excellent!! Authentic and delicious. Fish tasted fresh and flavorful. They also offer gluten free soy sauce which makes it all the better! When we got there there was a line all the way out the door which is always a good sign. Highly recommended and will definitely be going back the next time I'm having a sushi craving.

    (5)

  • H L.

    The only item I really ever get here is the sushi so I don't have much experience with the other dishes, but as far as the sushi goes, this place is pretty dang good! The fish and other seafood items are always consistently fresh and well cut. I'd probably go as far and say that this is probably the best sushi and sashimi that I've tried here on the Eastside.....and I am a big sushi fanatic.

    (4)

  • Jo P.

    Authentic Japanese food. Has a homey feel to the meals but they definitely take it up a level. Even the attention to their presentation of the food. Salmon Teriyaki has the perfect balance of sweet and savory with perfectly moist filet of salmon (with skin). Katsu-don was not overly salty and lunch portions were enormous.

    (5)

  • George G.

    I showed up about less than an hour after this place opened up, and I already had to be on a long waiting list. They don't allow reservations, the place is packed, and the waiting area is so small, filled with people also waiting to be called in like I do. About 40 minutes later, I got seated, then had to wait about 10 minutes more before the wait staff came by to get my order. They're really running around looking busy that night, so I didn't think it was such a sad deal. I was anticipating some good food coming my way because the place is busy. You know, as in, busy means food is good? What I had: a large sushi plate, some agedashi tofu (fried tofu in tempura sauce), tatsuta age (fried chicken), manila clams steamed in sake, and of course, a big bottle of Sapporo beer (goes well with sushi every time). What I got: the rice that came with the sushi is served cold that night so it's harder, did not match well with the sushi, and sushi is served up big, much bigger than a bite size - harder to eat and swallow. No big deal, I got the beer to wash them down, so it's just fine. The staff gave me the agedashi tofu, but they forgot to put in the tempura sauce. A little oversight, I thought, nothing to cry about. The few (about 8 pieces) manila clams tasted bland, like they almost just had warm water in it. The kitchen probably ran out of sake that night, I thought, so not a problem, I just didn't eat the rest. The chicken karaage....well, these little pieces are good. But then again anything fried is always good with me, so there! The end game: I was still eating, but the staff picked up my plate, thanked me, then placed the check on my table, a cue that I have to bail out of there - NOW! I'm smiling and thought to myself, "I waited so long to get seated, I barely sat here for about 20 minutes eating your hyped-up, mediocre food, had to fork up more than $60 to make sure you're tipped well, now you're pushing me to get out of your place? What's up? Don't I get to pick dessert?" I turned around to see the door, and realized that there are lots of people waiting to get their turn to eat here, so I calmed down. The goodbye: I just gave my usual smile as I started walking out of there, apologized to my date for the stellar (OK, I'm being sarcastic) sushi dinner, and booked out in a hurry, vowing to never, ever, return to this place again.

    (3)

  • James C.

    AUTHENTIC JAPANESE! Everyone there spoke Japanese and the food was just like my family made it in Japan. Outside is a bit bland but the inside is nice, warm, and inviting. The food was amazing. I had the teriyaki and tempura combo. It's a bit pricey but the food is worth it! Will be going back to try the sukiyaki and sashimi.

    (5)

  • Fay L.

    One of our favorite sushi places and so close to home! Food is consistently good as is service. Fun to take a seat at the sushi bar and watch the owner create beautiful art.

    (5)

  • Silvana E.

    PROS: - always packed = good rotation = fresh fish! - lots of customers are actually Japanese - so is the staff - presentation is great - quality is excellent CONS: - many people and long wait - on the pricier side

    (5)

  • Evil W.

    All you people who keep writing crap reviews of Izumi and saying how everything was great, please post more crap reviews. Because the secret of this top end sushi place on the East side is out, and frankly I'm worried that it's going to wind up like Shiro in Seattle where you're lucky if you can even get a seat next to some loud, short skirted, large breasted "I'm all that" trophy girlfriend and her jock lawyer boyfriend who can't shut her up without sticking a piece of maguro in her face. Feh! This is a total hole in the wall. Parking is ample (but often full - it's a shopping center) and seating is limited. But the fish melts in your mouth. Anyone wants excellent Japanese you come here - just make sure there's a seat left for me because I swear if this place gets too crowded that I can't come in and grab a bite then I will skim their reader and charge my next collection of used laptops to all your credit card accounts. =;^)

    (5)

  • Adeline W.

    My friends and I traveled all the way to the west side just for a meal in izumi and still think the trip is worth it.how much would that tell you about this restaurant? Everything they put on our table was extremely delicious and fresh.love love love this place!

    (5)

  • Paul K.

    Best classic sushi without a passport

    (5)

  • Lesley D.

    This is one of the better sushi spots on the east side. Even though its in a strip mall, they did a fantastic job with the decor. It feels very authentic. Only reason that its 3 instead of 4 stars from me was the fact that our service was a little "off". Maybe I was just in the mood for it, but the miso soup seemed magical! Pros: Miso Soup California rolls like they should be, not that weird fake crab-slaw Cheap on Tuesdays Cons: Be ready to wait for your check

    (3)

  • Chris B.

    Here's the deal: go to the suishi bar if you can get a seat. That is where you'll get the best sushi -- far better than the restaurant where you are seated. The sushi chef at the bar is a pro and knows his stuff. This is an easy 5 stars if there ever was one.

    (5)

  • DD C.

    Best sushi on the Eastside!!! Super fresh ingredient and lots of varieties- make sure you sit in the sushi bar and order OMAKASE style. The price is high comparing to some cheap nasty sushi joints like Blue C or Genki Sushi... but you get what you pay for!!!! If you want the best quality fish without going to Shiro's in Seattle, Izumi is definitely the place to go for on the Eastside!!!!

    (5)

  • Kathy R.

    it was a great service, not sure if this is family owned place, but felt like. Surprisingly big portions of food (went there for lunch) with a friend, and this is his favorite place.

    (5)

  • Gryffin Z.

    Don't know what all the hype's about. The sushi selection sucks. They don't have any specialty roles and just plain boring. Its also expensive and you don't get a lot for what you pay.

    (2)

  • Andrew S.

    Was recomended to try the sushi here and it was suprising to find a place this good in Totem Lake?!?!?!? Turns out its one of the highest rated Sushi resturants in Seattle. The salmon was de-lish.

    (5)

  • Torch S.

    I'm from socal, and I know what good Asian food should taste like, especially when it comes to Japanese food. I'm also the guy who'd travel 3 hours drive to find good sushi or ramen places. That being said, my anticipation was very high when I run into Izumi on Yelp. I just had to try it out. Sadly, I was quickly disappointed. Food was good, but not exceptional. It tasted much like the higher-end conveyor belt sushi places. Some of sushi tasted better, but nothing super special. But it was the service that has disappointed me so much to the level of forget how good sushi tasted. Weekday afternoon when it wasn't busy, Waitstaff never came to our table once. It was as if we don't exist. Asked for tea refill TWICE. Nothing. There was another staff who's not a waitstaff so we explained what happened. Nothing. Not even an explanation, excuse or apology. I've been to many Japanese restaurant places where it tasted less-than-stellar, but never had experienced this bad services. This is the first time in years I've only tipped less than 15%, and still felt ripped off. I don't know what the hype is about this place, but I've had better experiences in Redmond or Bellevue. Sushi might have tasted just-above-the-average, but such poor service left a bitterness in my mouth, ruining the whole sushi experience.

    (3)

  • Dee D.

    Sukiyaki is amazing here

    (4)

  • Elijah Z.

    The food is always unsurprising to the Japanese palate at Izumi. Which is a huge compliment considering that it is not in Japan. Hands down it is the one of the best Japanese restaurants in the greater Seattle area. However, one factor will change your experience at Izumi and that is whether or not you sit at the counter. If you sit at the counter, the experience will be the closest that you can get to a real Edo-mae sushi restaurant in the greater Seattle area. The chefs understand customer service, seasonal ingredients, how to make recommendations and how to make authentic Japanese cuisine with ingredients sourced outside of Japan. Izumi has no gimmicks. No fancy rolls. Just honest, beautiful and delicious food. If you have ever eaten the real thing, this is the place for you.

    (5)

  • Buttens P.

    I first came here almost 18 yrs ago and was skeptical from the outside appearance. WOW, it's wonderful, and authentic with always Great Service ! Everything I like. Never have been disappointed. Everyone I bring here has the same reaction I have from start to finish.

    (5)

  • Steve Z.

    Was craving sushi and based on the reviews I thought I'd try this place. I had white salmon sushi, red king salmon sushi, tuna sushi and Toro sushi. Absolutely none of it was fresh, some of the worst sushi I've ever had. I had to swallow it so I don't taste It. It was my first time there and definitely my last. Maybe it was just my luck that the sushi was not fresh the day I went, but I'm not taking another chance with them. Service was not good either and they don't give you an itemized receipt.

    (1)

  • Joe N.

    I'm new to the area and was looking for more of a traditional sushi joint. This was exactly what I was looking for!!!! Everything we had was so fresh and delicious! LIVE UNI, need I say more? My wife and I really felt like we were in japan from the moment we walked in. The wife of the couple sitting next to us was even wearing a traditional kimono! The Japanese chef was old school and it was an amazing experience, especially sitting at the sushi bar. We ordered ala carte, but next time we will try the omakase.

    (5)

  • Amol A.

    A hot towel after walking in with my mom after a long drive. That itself was worth it all. Followed by excellent sushi a friendly waiter and a simple bow on the way out. What a way to eat !! I love you guys.

    (5)

  • Derek P.

    They put wasabi in EVERY sushi roll! Between the lack of sushi selection and the inclusion of wasabi I ended up eating a second dinner somewhere else.

    (2)

  • Ben H.

    "numnumnum." This is the first sushi place I've ever been, and one of the best in the Seattle area. Seating is only 80 occupancy and the location is a bit out of the way in a strip mall over in Totem Lake area but worth the trip. Most times, there will always be some older lady dressed in a kimono, helping with everything. This adds to the ambience of the restaurant. The food preparation is fab. Couldn't ask for better. Worth your while to stop here and check it out if you too are part of the sushi clan.

    (5)

  • Shy A.

    Gosh darnit! Why does Izumi have to do sushi so right? I'm teetering on my original 4 stars and really wish I could give a half star. Otherwise, I'd feel a little too easy giving up the 5 star status but I suppose I'll round up. Nice work Izumi! Try the soft shell crab roll-you won't be disappointed! And there's no skimping on that plate either. you'll be pleasantly surprised! The service continues to be very good. I left a happy nugget.

    (5)

  • Bam B.

    Had sushi wonderful customer service my waiter was a guy. The sushi are traditional meaning smaller than most sushi at other places. They had a warm hand towel to wipe my hands before eating. The waiting on a weekend evening awful 45 mins to an hour. It's ok I just won't go back on a busy day. The guys as waiters were very nice, the women on the other hand wasn't as much. Once i bough togo during lunch hour. I sat in the bar area, to wait, she had ordered me to sit outside literally on a bench for my food. The problem I have it the way she said it. I never order togo there before I didn't know where I'm allow to sit. She could have been kinder. Therefore I would skip this place for japanese sushi. I prefer Renton Landing Izakaya Sushi where they actually know how to treat and customer ordering togo.

    (3)

  • Jennifer P.

    One of my favourite go-to lunch places on the Eastside! My office is just across the street so I have been coming here for years...at one point once a week. I mainly come for lunch, but their dinner is great as well. Just a warning, it's a little on the pricey side, but definitely worth it! So why do I come back time and time again?! Aside from seeing the odd Japanese baseball player and the sweet elderly waitress in traditional attire, their lunch specials are great and the food always consistent. Depending on what day you go (I only go on the weekdays), it ranges from Salmon or Chicken Teriyaki and it usually comes with Vegetable Tempura, Sushi/Sashimi, Miso Soup, Green Salad, and Sunomono. When I am not ordering the lunch special, their Nabeyaki Udon, Grilled Saba, and Makunouchi (Bento box) are in my rotation. If you come for dinner, the Chirashi is filled with great cuts of fish and seasoned rice. Why only 4 stars you ask, well, the adventurous side of me finds the sushi selection fairly standard and their teriyaki and sukiyaki is a bit on the sweet side, but still good.

    (4)

  • Nelson Y.

    This place is the biggest find in ages. Incredibly authentic sushi experience from the point of view of someone who has lived in LA for ages and have traveled throughout Japan. Very fair priced omakase and liked everything I tried (except maybe the gooeyduck) - the fresh sea urchin and its presentation really impressed me! Can't wait to come back for more and even try out their bento box, I heard it's really good.

    (5)

  • C Y.

    I had Tempura & Beef Teriyaki Dinner. It was $22 and the portion was a OK for the price.

    (3)

  • Brad S.

    This place is excellent. I don't hesitate to give five stars. My only hesitation is that it is pretty expensive. That doesn't really bother me though because it is family owned and has been there for decades. The beef sukiyaki is a must have and so is the sushi. I also love the sweet only lady who hobbles around filling up tea.

    (5)

  • Russ N.

    Izumi has been doing it right for years. If you're looking for cheap sushi or strange fusion style rolls, this is not your kind of place. If you want fresh, beautifully presented sashimi and sushi, tasty tempura, and well prepared Japanese dishes, come to Izumi. Come early because they will be SRO soon after they open for dinner and you'll have to wait. You know it's good when older Nisei and ethnic Japanese fill the place. Warm towels and friendly staff greet you and make you welcome. The only down side is the limited wine choices, but if you're a beer or sake drinker, you'll be fine. Coffee jello is a unique dessert.

    (5)

  • Brian B.

    Oh Izumi, If Only We'd Had More Time! So I came across this place mostly out of necessity. I was on a business trip and staying in Kirkland. Izumi was about a 5 minute walk from my hotel. The reviews were excellent, so I decided to check it out. It is hands down one of the best meals I've had on the road. The sushi was simple, but outstanding. The rice was still warm and nice and sticky. The rolls tasted so fresh. Definitely recommend this spot if you're in the area!

    (5)

  • Kristin W.

    I've only been here once, but love it. The food was authentic and good. Friendly staff. Didn't have to wait for a table when we got there. Little pricey, but quality food.

    (4)

  • Debra B.

    My food experience: very authentic, most patrons were Asian. Service was excellent, restaurant is clean. Folks were lined up outside waiting for Izumi to open at 5PM. Hubby ordered Chef's Choice and was not disappointed. Sushi offerings are more traditional, capitalizing on the quality of fresh fish. I like creative rolls that offer flavor fusions. This wasn't my favorite sushi place (still in search of "the one") but it is high quality, traditional Japanese fare. Also a bit on the pricey side, but understandable due to the large fan following. hard-core raw fish lovers should be pleased. Not a fan of the coffee jello, either.

    (4)

  • Rachel N.

    Very authentic japanese, and not just the sushi -- they serve other traditional foods like oden and all of it is delicious! I've gone with friends and family several times now, and they're service and cooking is always awesome. The great quality of the dishes and the fairly roomy interior are surprising in light of the fact it's located in an outdoor strip mall-type of area. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Ana M.

    Sushi and Sashimi heaven. I've been coming here for 17 years and it has never changed. Consistently excellent. I always compare every Japanese resturant to my neighboorhood place and no one comes close to being this delicious.

    (4)

  • Dale B.

    I brought my family here for their first time eating dinner here in Kirkland. Excellent service, authentic Japanese restaurant. The sushi was fresh and made well. I would recommend calling to check for availability because it can get packed really fast.

    (5)

  • Lesley M.

    Good service, great food. Really loved the sushi here. The best quality I've found since leaving the SF Bay Area. (Really miss Yoshi's, but if memory serves the food here was even better!). It's slightly more expensive than other local favorites. As a Seattle-ite, the location is sadly inconvenient for me, but I will make the trek again next time I want sushi and have some extra time.

    (5)

  • Cale G.

    This place was recommended to me by a hotel staff woman and I was so glad she did. Great sushi and reasonably priced.

    (5)

  • Nichole S.

    The sushi was fantastic! But the rolls, not so much. Service was okay. Honestly, if the fish wasn't so damn good, I would have given this place 3 stars. I look forward to trying the other Japanese dishes because they smell and look awfully tasty.

    (4)

  • Regina C.

    Love this place! Went on Saturday night with the family. I have been here many times and it is always consistent. I love how the wait staff are authentic Japanese women. They are so sweet and very efficient. This place was packed at 5:30 and they open at 5. We stood outside in the rain to wait for a table for 1/2 hour. TOTALLY worth it. Anything you order is fresh, authentic and super yummy.

    (4)

  • Kyle L.

    You wouldn't expect a sushi place in a strip mall in Kirkland to be this good. First of all, the inside is very well decorated. Everyone greets you as you go in, so it felt like being in Japan. We sat at the sushi bar and ordered Omakase (chef's choice). Excellent decision. The Chef really knows his stuff, and will give you superb nigiri. After we had finished the 10 piece Omakase, we wanted to try the spicy tuna roll. The chef asked if we wanted the standard one or if he should make something up. We went with the latter, and it was by far the best spicy tuna roll we'd had. He made some sort of spicy miso/lemon sauce. Wonderful.

    (5)

  • Joshua W.

    I have eaten here over ten times and I'm always satisfied. If you go for lunch, get the makenouchi box. It's definitely the best choice. They have the best sashimi on the Eastside, possibly the entire Seattle metro area.

    (5)

  • Tiffany A.

    Everything I have eaten at Izumi has been delicious. Sushi, vegetable tempura, gyoza and the essentials such as rice, salad, sunomono and miso soup. The reason I am giving them 5 stars is the beef teriyaki. This is not some simple teriyaki joint beef teriyaki, but a delicious steak cooked medium, sliced, and delivered in a tasty teriyaki sauce that makes you want to dip each slice of steak to absorb the juices. My mouth is watering.

    (5)

  • Poulina K.

    You know a sushi restaurant will be good when you see kimonos, and hear Japanese spoken near the sushi bar! Hidden gem in a Kirkland strip mall, the outside is a bit deceiving. Decor is very casual, yet traditionally Japanese. My large sushi plate was fresh, Ikura was delicate and mildly salty. They also have great quality Aji, which sometimes is hard to come by. Rice to fish ratio is just right, and you do not get a carb overload. My bf ordered beef sukiyaki and it was delicious as well. I think we found our neighborhood sushi spot! Domo Arigato!

    (4)

  • Jackie L.

    Holy Cannoli!!! This place was fantastic! A hidden gem I tell ya! I had the soft shell crab sushi roll and it was killer... I can't wait to go back... there is just to much great food to choose from in the Seattle area I just don't know how everyone here isn't 400lbs. the service was great and everyone is greeted warmly next I must sit at the counter to see the magic happen.

    (5)

  • Bob R.

    Delicious fresh sushi. One of the best on the eastside. I will be going for dinner again.

    (4)

  • Robert K.

    The only positives of this place is that it's easy to find in Kirkland and the service is pretty good. After seeing 4.5 stars on average and reading the menu, I was hoping this restaurant may become one of my "regulars". As usual going into a new restaurant that is Japanese, Korean, or Chinese, I tried to order a variety of items to gauge what's good or not. Food: Beef Sukiyaki and saba shioyaki is average, not bad but not as good as a couple other places I tried in the state. Tenzaru Udon was below average, the noodles weren't cooked well and the sauce wasn't to my satisfaction. The sashimi was large in size but taste was fairly bad. Overall, the food was definitely below average and the pricing was fairly high, especially for the quality of food that was received. When even comparing to just the eastside restaurants, it's still the same in my opinion. The pricing is fairly aligned to most legit Japanese restaurants but the taste and quality didn't follow even closely. Hence overall, I gave a rather harsh review. Disclaimer: I am a snob when it comes to Japanese, Korean, and Chinese food. I have only been to this restaurant once, may have had slightly higher expectations due to the high reviews.

    (2)

  • Leif P.

    THE best place for Japanese cuisine on the Eastside. Every time I come here, I am reminded again that sourcing is key to the restaurant business. Their buyers get the best fish available in Seattle, time after time. Then the chefs create beautiful presentation to match the beautiful fish. I particularly remember the sashmi that came on a boat one night. - seriously, the presentation platter was a boat. Flavors are memorable as well - I remember the traditional wood-mushroom soup we had as part of a special festival one night, perfect earthiness in a warm bowl of comfort. Any place that creates memories like that is worth treasuring, and revisiting as often as you can. I can see where American diners might struggle with the very Japanese atmosphere and very Japanese waitstaff, but bring a patient, open heart, and you will be well rewarded.

    (5)

  • Kerri J.

    Their sushi is really fresh and delicious. Their Tako is some of the best I have ever had. If you're a roll person, the menu lacks in this department but the menu has lots of other good looking stuff!

    (4)

  • April K.

    note one caveat i'm rating this based on a secondary dish (the black miso cod) and not on their sushi. however, in my experience if a restaurant is lacking in a secondary specialty they are often lacking in their primary focus, in this case sushi. the service was average to below average. I was ordering a $25 entrée (the black cod) not on the inexpensive side, but was given side looks and felt like I was being shooshed out right after I finished my very unappetizing meal. the black miso cod was definitely below average: it was a rather large filet with that was overly soft, steeped in a glorified miso/shoyu marinade that was bland and unoriginal. again, note $25 for this unappetizing dish was way too over priced. I've had way better dining experiencing in diners with a better price point. not sure where all these five star review are coming from. it might be that the eastsiders don't have much options when it comes to Japanese resturants. my advice, you can totally skip this joint. will never be coming back again. the drive over to manekis or shiros is definitely worth the trip. don't waste your money here.

    (2)

  • Anna J.

    Thank goodness for Yelp cause my husband found this Japanese restaurant and we went for it! From the outside it didn't look busy until we walked in. It's a small restaurant compare to most Japanese Sushi joints that I am use to. We were greeted by nice Japanese elderlys wearing cute Kimono's. Where I live, you are even lucky to find Japanese owned sushi restaurants so I appreciated that. We waited a bit but it was worth it. My husband and I ordered from the Dinner Combo that came with either sashimi or cut sushi. I recommend ordering from the combination rather than a la carte. Price point is above average. I had the teriyaki chicken with an assortment of cut sushi. It comes with a small salad with ginger dressing and miso soup. My husband ordered the beef teriyaki, my daughter ordered assorted sushi and unagi, and son ordered Sukiyaki. All were delicious! If you are ever in WA... I recomment having dinner here.

    (5)

  • Jennifer Y.

    My coworkers and I now have a Thursday lunch train at Izumi's. We love their Sushi and Sashimi lunch.

    (5)

  • Kayan H.

    Sad that this little strip mall joint isn't closer to Seattle, because if it were I would definitely make it my neighborhood go-to sushi place. I had a large sushi combo, which was good sized for the price and the fish were yummy! Not too much rice and came with miso soup. It's pretty big inside and was packed for a random Tuesday night, but I felt the service was decent. My friend had grilled Saba (mackerel) and it looked delicious. If you're ever in Kirkland and craving sushi, Izumi will hit the spot!

    (3)

  • Kazuo O.

    Took mom and dad out for Mother's Day here. I'm so glad we came near opening time because the place got packed right away. I ordered the Izumi special Omakase dinner. It was great, it had all my favorites, teriyaki, nigiri, sashimi and everything was fresh. This is one of mom's favorite spots and she knows her stuff haha, check this place out.

    (4)

  • Jeff L.

    Wow, Chef's Choice Sushi vs regular order off the menu sushi. DAMN. We got a plate of each. A sushi for sushi comparison was not even close. Needless to say the Chef's choice cuts and prep was sooooo YUMMY! Best on the Eastside, yes, I said it. Skip the regular nigiri and splurge for the chef's choice. Your mouth will love you for it.

    (5)

  • A F.

    Probably the best sushi I've had on the Eastside. Nice waitresses, great food, decent atmosphere. I will be going back soon!

    (5)

  • Dokdo K.

    I agree with most of the reviewers.., this is a solid, top tier Japanese restaurant in Seattle area. The atmosphere is nothing over the top, yet pleasant and clean. Most of the staff are Japanese, and few actually wore kimonos. As you can see from the menu, they don't serve Americanized sushi rolls, but just authentic nigiri sushi and traditional rolls, as well as traditional dishes. For party of 4, we ordered various dinner combination, and everyone was quite satisfied with what we ordered. The special dinner bento box was quite good, with assortment of fresh and well prepared nigiri sushi. Combo dinners were quite nice too, just the right portion of tasty and fresh sushi. I ordered the udon combo, and it tasted a bit blend, but didn't taste any MSG or taste enhancers, so that's a huge plus. The only shortcoming I noticed is that the beer that was served wasn't cold. The bottle of Kirin was definitely taken out of refrigerator and thus chilled. However, I drank the beer wishing it was a bit more cold.... For paying premium price for beer, I expect it to be served cold, however, because it wasn't, I feel I was deprived of joy of drinking otherwise fine Japanese beer.

    (4)

  • Gloria A.

    This is traditional Japanese food, always delicious, always the finest, never disappointing. Wherever you are in the Puget Sound, take the drive to Kirkland - it's worth waiting in line for, I won't eat Japanese anywhere else. I've been a customer for over 5 years, and it was by accident I found it. It's authentic, reasonably priced, and the entire staff makes you feel welcome. My favorite: Salmon Terriyaki with Tempura. Once you've eaten here, you won't go elsewhere - I promise - so be prepared to be spoiled!

    (5)

  • Scott O.

    Izumi is an excellent Eastside sushi bar tucked away in an obscure strip mall in Totem Lake (North Kirkland). They do a hopping lunch business but have fewer customers in the evening (although it seems to be a mainstay for Japanese businessmen). The lunch specials are a great value for the money. They're now running $10.95-$11.95, and although they've increased a couple of bucks in recent years it's still a pretty good deal. You get a ton of food that is well-prepared - miso soup, salad, chicken teriyaki, tempura and usually a few pieces of sushi or sashimi. Sometimes the special will be grilled teriyaki salmon, or it will be the above four items for a little less. This is not your average take-out teriyaki with blah sauce by the way - it's the good stuff. The fish they include with the lunch special is also very good quality, you never feel like you're getting yesterday's leftovers like some Indian buffets. They also offer a full lunch menu including bento boxes, sukiyaki, soba noodles, etc. for quite reasonable. This is also a favorite sushi restaurant of mine at dinnertime. I don't do it as often, but when I do I find Izumi a solid choice for consistently fresh, reasonably priced sushi. Not cheap, but reasonable given the quality of the fish they're serving. A little less than I'd spend for Toyoda without the wait and the schlep to Lake City. Finally, a word about the staff. This family-run restaurant has excellent staff, from the elderly couple whom I believe own the place to the chef and the servers. Some of them have been here since the beginning (14-15 years), and yet all of the long-timers adhere to a high level of service and dedication. In all that time, Izumi focuses on doing two things - quality Japanese food and service - and doing both extremely well over the years.

    (5)

  • John M.

    When you walk in, it feels like a true japanese sushi restaurant (I've been to Japan a few times). The atmosphere is very traditional. However, after waiting for almost 15 minutes to get our drink order and then 10 minutes for our sushi order, and then 20 minutes to actually get our sushi (yes, that is a total of 45 minutes) we ate average sushi with no real fun rolls (I know an american creation). We left and went to Hana in Bothell to end on a high note. Slow impersonal service, very traditional if you like that aspect, and decent size slices. But average sushi, and horrible service made us leave.

    (2)

  • Chris O.

    What a great hole in the wall. You'd never suspect it in a strip mall but this is consistently great food. We like it even better since they've started offering a $18 combination teriyaki salmon/tempura dinner, which includes miso soup, and some other Japanese specialties (does anyone really eat Hijiki?). We get hot edimame as an appetizer and really like that too. The servers are super nice. It's a great way to relax and unwind after a long day at work. A caveat, I suppose, is when I first started coming here with my wife, I would order chicken teriyaki and was bored. Definitely go bigger than that. My sister and her husband say the sushi is pretty good here but not amazing. I do barely ever eat sushi so cannot comment.

    (5)

  • Laura T.

    A wonderful family-owned traditional Japanese restaurant. Since moving up to the Seattle area 10 years ago, we've been searching for a good Japanese restaurant with authentic atmosphere and good food. Finally! I found Izumi! It's in obscure part of Kirkland in a strip mall behind another strip mall. From the parking lot, it doesn't look very large but once you walk in there are actually lots of tables. Izumi draws a big crowd on Fridays and Saturdays often with waits up to 30 minutes to an hour. Tonite I had the special: teriyaki salmon and tempura. Typically, you get small serviings of each, but Izumi gave me a generous serviing of salmon perfectly cooked in teriyaki sauce. It tasted fresh and moist. The tempura was generously portioned too: 2 pieces of butterfly shrimp, a piece of crab, assorted vegetables. Served with rice, salad and soup. Price: $18. My husband had the large sushi platter. Very beautiful. The coffee jello was very refreshing. I would definitely recommend this restaurant...the staff are in traditional Japanese kimonos, very polite and gracious. Definitely an outstanding family-run restaurant. with a seemingly strong loyal customer base.

    (5)

  • Jake N.

    Good food. Service was slow, but the warm towels at the beginning were nice. Refilled our water glasses a lot. Great presentation. Somewhat smaller portions that I was used to in a Japanese restaurant.

    (3)

  • Rick L.

    Not great. Nice staff but the sushi rolls had way too much rice. From what I hear they are known for their non-sushi entrees. Will have to go that direction next time.

    (2)

  • Karen R.

    when i want good serious sushi, this is where i go. 'nuff said. best sushi chef (technique) and best fish in town! sit at the sushi bar (on the head sushi chef's side) and just let the sushi chef plan your dinner (omakase).

    (5)

  • S K.

    Do not come here! While the sushi itself is decent, (you can get FAR better sushi in the Seattle area), the service here it terrible. I have been here twice now and the servers take forever with the order, forget things you've ordered or mix things up. Last night the restaurant was half empty and the food took so long we were about to leave just as it was coming out. Honestly, I'd go get sushi from places where Asian people frequent...that is the measure of the best sushi. Izumi (I've been twice) is always filled with white people. I've had two terrible service experiences and I will not be going back to this restaurant. Save yourself the time and money and treat yourself to more quality service AND food somewhere else.

    (1)

  • Jerry M.

    Fresh and the staff are great.

    (4)

  • Andrea Z.

    Found this place while looking for good sushi on Yelp. We went in on a Friday night after work and it was pretty quiet. Ended up sitting at the sushi bar and checked out the minimal menu. The sushi chef came over and started asking questions about what we liked and didn't like. Before we knew it he had a list of about 7 different sushi ideas for us. One by one, omakase style, the dishes came out. There was a scallop sashimi that was to die for. This tops my list as one of my favorite dining experiences. I would go back in a heart beat. You can always tell when a sushi chef takes pride in serving a wonderful meal and he did! Go here!! It's worth it!

    (5)

  • Lisa W.

    We were meeting some friends for dinner, and they decided that we meet at Izumi in a strip mall in the Totem Lake area of Kirkland. Living in Seattle, my BF and I can be a little lazy driving to the east side though I'm trying to be less so. We were a table of 6, and they were really busy (apparently a popular spot), but everything flowed smoothly. My BF and I ordered the small sashimi platter, which turned out to be generous cuts of salmon, tuna and albacore. We also had the tako sunomono, and I was blown away by the huge tender cuts of octopus among the cucumber/seaweed/vinegar mix. My BF ordered some mackerel nigiri (the standard 2 pieces) and was very pleased. Everyone else at our table ordered a variety of cooked and raw plates and gave rave reviews. I would make the trip across Lake Washington to Izumi again for delicious sushi combined with fun conversation with friends.

    (3)

  • K C.

    If you're a fan of traditional sushi restaurants, this is the place! No specialty rolls or any crazy concoctions, just fine food, served and presented by polite and proper Japanese hosts in a small yet serviceable space. Perhaps some of the freshest fish around, every roll will be flavorable without 'fishy' and melt in your mouth. A community favorite for years, Izumi's is packed on the weekends.

    (4)

  • Keith F.

    Not the best service in the world, but awesome sushi! Very fresh and affordable, will be back.

    (4)

  • Josh P.

    Incredible authentic Japanese. The fish is consistently amazing. Try the sukiaki, sashimi, tempura, crab salad, and coffee jello. Their tea is very good as well. People drive from all over the area to come here, so expect it to be busy. Don't come here looking for a bunch of different Americanized sushi rolls.

    (5)

  • Paige C.

    My second time to dine in at Izumi. The service is very inconsistent. It felt like I was dining in a typical Korean restaurant instead of Japanese restaurant. The quality of food is below average; the service and the food are way below the traditional Japanese restaurant. I definitely won't dine in there again. The sashimi was very fishy. It was not worth what we paid for.

    (1)

  • Tonya N.

    Very good! I was impressed with my bento... the fish was so fresh, beautiful, great sides.. and particularly loved the chicken teriyaki... its so different from the typical cheap teriyaki joints you see everywhere, the chicken is sliced diffently, plump and fattier which means tastier. The ladies working there are so sweet, takes great pix too! lol... a bit slow with giving us the bill but they were busy. I will be back.

    (4)

  • Eden B.

    Lunch: Similar in quality to Kiku or Kikuya, but for a few bucks cheaper. I got the Makunouchi lunch set (bento). The quality, variety, and presentation of the food was good. The lunch menu selection was decent, but not extensive. I had no problems with the service, but I also wasn't in a big hurry. I would recommend this place as a cheaper way to have Japanese food for lunch. I plan on coming back for sushi in the future and will update my review at that time.

    (4)

  • milos d.

    this place deserves more than i am going to write, but i recommend it without reservation.

    (5)

  • Jessica L.

    Some things are found in odd places - a strip mall in a quiet area of Kirkland is one of them. This place first of all has great food! The sushi is always fresh, a little pricey, but always extremely tasty. I had my first real sushi here. And it isn't just the sushi that's good - the eel is good, the bento boxes, the pots, everything. This has something for everyone, including non-sushi/fish eaters. Atmosphere is always very nice; I feel like I have my own private little table and it's always quiet. Great place to relax and unwind. It is a little pricey, but the food is worth it. Also, don't expect speedy service. Service is great; always very friendly, just not exceptionally fast. This is a place you go when you are willing to take your time and not live in the fast lane for an hour or two for a good meal. This would probably be my second fav sushi place, with Tuna House being number one. Can't go wrong with Izumi's!

    (4)

  • Jay C.

    When I walked into Izumi I was a little concerned. Almost all the patrons were white... not a good sign of a great Japanese restaurant. My worries quickly faded though. The sushi is super-fresh... really great quality. The night I was there they even had live sea urchins they were serving (not for me, but you go right ahead). The service is a little slow, most of the waitresses are older Japanese ladies. But just be patient and you're well taken care of... or just sit at the bar!

    (4)

  • Jason C.

    I do not have the most refined sushi palette. I can taste the difference between Safeway sushi and Nishino sushi, but I am by no means an expert. Being new to the Kirkland area, the girlfriend and I wanted to test the local Japanese food stops. Izumi is not cheap, but I have to say, it was really really good! I had the snow crab tempura roll as well as a spicy tuna roll. The tuna roll was off the charts good (remember, sushi expertise is not great so I have a small chart). She had some sort of noodle thing...I wasn't paying attention because I was engrossed in my own roll consumption. Both of us stopped talking the moment the food was placed before us, which is always a good indicator that food is better than verbal exchange. Our bill was around 30 bucks with tip. Not cheap, but not too bad either. It's a great little restaurant, with authentic looking dcor. Service was wonderfully polite and more than prompt. I had my water filled the moment the empty glass touched the table. Just a matter of time before we make a second visit.

    (4)

  • Jessica M.

    Izumi why must you be located so far away ? At least i can visit when i am in town to see the family! This is a truly traditional and amazing Japanese restaurant, The sushi is always so fresh and the portions are generous. I love how they keep the dishes relatively simple and really let the quality of the ingredients shine. I am a fan and will be back hopefully soon.

    (4)

  • D V.

    The only reason to go here is for the omakase at the sushi bar. The sushi is fresh and top notch. You can't get anything better for a cheaper price anywhere in Seattle; it is even better than places charging triple the price in NYC (Sushi Yasuda, I'm talking to you). Yes indeed, every time I visit Seattle I've got to make a trip to Izumi. Make a beeline to the sushi bar and talk to the chefs for suggestions on how to properly enjoy sushi. Shoot the breeze with the (Japanese) chef from Israel - it will feel like you and him are the only ones in the room. The owners of the restaurant are rude and impatient, and they try their best to ignore their customers. One time after waiting by the door to be seated for about 10 minutes, I finally just went over to the bar, after which the owner promptly ran to me and told me to wait until I was seated. Arr, now you're paying attention huh? I've been trying to convince the sushi chef to open his own restaurant haha. That would be the best.

    (5)

  • Karl H.

    Coffee JELLO!!!! Apparently, this is the only sushi restaurant in Washington that serves this unique dessert... says, the oh so uninformed woman. *Spoiler alert* Little does that woman know that Tokyo Japanese in Factoria serves it too. But, she was obviously trying to impress her guests with her "for those in the know" trivia like knowledge of where to find Japanese desserts. Speaking of "those in the know"... anyone in the know, knows that when you find a great sushi place you keep it a secret and don't tell anyone about it. Why? Because you don't want it to become so busy that you can't get a table whenever you want... not too mention its kind of a rights of passage or a test of friendship when you finally do bring a friend to this great new sushi place that no one knows about yet. Too late, the cats out of the bag on this one. Izumi is utterly fantastic! I'm not sure who their supplier is, but the fish they use is undeniably some of the freshest in the area. I hope they keep paying the local Yakuza, because man this fish is good. The menu is fairly extensive because they also do bento's and you can grab a big bowl of Udon noodles if you want as well. But, because everyone and their brother knows about this place... you're gonna want to get there early to avoid the wait if you can. If not you'll be waiting up to an hour for a table. IF you have the time then the wait is totally worth it.

    (4)

  • Rich C.

    The rice had flavor (VERY lacking in all other sushi joints I've been to in this area), the fish was fresh, and the omakase dish was art at its finest. So far the best sushi restaurant in the Seattle area.

    (5)

  • Terry C.

    My wife and I had dinner there last night (Saturday). Service was good and quick and the atmosphere was about what you would expect. They were pretty busy for 5:45pm. I had the bento and Sue had tofu. The delivery was quick and there was more than enough to eat. The food was good, but considering everything Fuji Sushi in the international district is still our favorite!

    (3)

  • Will C.

    I'm new to the area and Izumi is my favorite place for sushi so far. There are several things I look for in sushi place and Izumi seems to meet those requirements quite well. If you are looking for a fancy, trendy type place then go somewhere else. Izumi is small family run place that serves traditional Japanese food. It's simple, but very good. First thing is location. For me, I think that the location in Kirkland is great. I wish it was closer to Edmonds/Lynnwood but I like the fact that it's not downtown. I don't have to fight the traffic and parking every time I go there. It's located in a small shopping plaza The next requirement for me is that the place is owned and operated by Japanese people. I prefer my Japanese food to be prepared by Japanese people. There is an overwhelming number of fake Japanese restaurants in the Seattle area serving mediocre food. The owner / head sushi chef of Izumi is Japanese and is from Japan. One of the most important things in a sushi place is the quality and selection of the fish. Izumi has an excellent selection of fresh fish. They always have some unusual and different fish every time I go. They aren't just serving the typical frozen saku block tuna and salmon at this place. They have a really good selection of fresh fish that you won't find at many other places. The head sushi chef really knows what he is talking about and will make some good suggestions on things to try and will tell you about the fish you are eating. He has his own style of preparing the Nigiri and leaves a little tail on the end of some cuts. It's really nice because they give you some big cuts. Another yelp reviewer mistakenly thought this was some kind of inexperience on the part the chef and gave them a low rating.

    (5)

  • Mike V.

    Authentic, simple and to the point. You can't go wrong. The fish they serve is fresh and the service is good (but slow...I looked passed it considering how great the food is).

    (5)

  • Brian Y.

    This is now my favorite east side sushi restaurant. Their fish is fresh, and give big slices of it when they serve sushi. The amount of fish they give is almost twice the size of sushi they serve at most restaurants. You can see this in the pictures someone posted. It's awesome stuff. The only bad part about this place is that they don't have enough waitstaff, so the service can be slow. Everything else is great.

    (4)

  • Dan H.

    We've been there a few times now. We get there 5pm sharp at opening. Sushi is fresh and higher grade than the average in the area. The ambience is quiet, no music playing in the background. Service is quite attentive. Once ordered a hotpot type of broth soup - it was amazing. Just simple, great ingredients, and cooked for a long time. We go back often - wife is very particular about her sushi since she has a very distinguishing palate. It makes her happy to come here and you know...happy wife - happy life!

    (5)

  • Aleks V.

    Good sushi place hidden in a strip mall in Kirkland/Totem Lake. Fast service and decent portions!

    (4)

  • Al L.

    Very good sushi but very slow service. Especially if it's crowded which it usually is on the weekend. The staff is great and the sukiyaki is so good. Best salmon sashimi in town or elsewhere.

    (4)

  • cat b.

    I'm only shaving off one star based on the quality of service. The food is consistent and the service is friendly. The service is consistently too slow. From the moment we arrive, the staff takes quite a while before they notice us. I'm not sure what's so hard to notice about a 6' 2" white guy and 5' 0" wife, but hey, I guess they might be visually challenged. The real problem? When a couple of regulars were seated next to us, and the wait staff began catering to them. Exclusively. We no longer existed. I'm not sure if a tazer would have gotten a reaction from the waitress at that point. We had finished our dinner and been waiting to pay...for ten minutes...while the couple next to us were treated like royalty. I respect regulars, and I like the fact that they received excellent service. It should not have been at our expense. My husband had to get up and ask to pay the bill. The salmon teriyaki is amazing. I don't even like teriyaki. The other items are good, but not life-changing. It's a solid Japanese restaurant, and I respect it. Their service being a bit off isn't a total dealbreaker, but it can be annoying.

    (3)

  • Katherine P.

    I'm from California, and I love sushi. And my boyfriend lives in Washington for now, so it's almost a fair exchange that he lives so far away because the sushi up here is so good! Izumi, in particular, has very fresh fish, great service, just all around great quality food. Their uni is extremely fresh, which is important because bad uni will leave a very nasty taste in your mouth. I also enjoy their Japanese scallop sushi; the cut is large, and it's very flavorful. I really love that they don't mask the taste of their seafood with too many harsh sauces, which really tips me off that they serve actual good, fresh fish. Everyone who works here is always very welcoming. They keep your glasses filled, and you don't have to wait very long between orders, as the chefs and servers are attentive enough, but never smothering. The rolls are always well crafted, the sushi and sashimi cut well, and it's just a very good restaurant. I highly recommend it!

    (5)

  • Unjeela G.

    Yes, I agree with some reviewers complaining that the portions size is really small and the price is high. I've had better, but I realize what you're paying for, here, is not food, but for the atmosphere and decorative serving plates (sashimi in a boat); restaurant is very clean. If you want to chat over some tea and a light snack, this is a wonderful place. But if you want some sashimi/sushi dinner, then Japonessa or Musashi are the places to go to!

    (3)

  • Dan N.

    I love this place! Great food and service. It's not anything like a chain sushi restaurant. Authentic Japanese food and service.

    (5)

  • John A.

    If there is a better place in the Seattle area for Sushi, I would be skeptical. Don't let the location mislead you. We have sat at the Sushi bar and at tables 4 times in the last 2 months and one theme rings constant.......great Sushi. Their Sushi chef is a master to watch and will provide you anything you want. The Ahi tuna was the best I've ever enjoyed. Large pieces atop rice feature the fish rather than the rice. The fish drapes over the ends of the rice. Likewise for the yellow tail. The eel was served with as delicious a sauce as can be imagined. If you are a soft shell crab fan, have the roll......delicious and big.

    (5)

  • Dino D.

    I've eaten here several times so wanted to give my $0.02. I think it's definitely a plus that the place seems to be genuinely owned and operated by Japanese, not that there is anything wrong with sushi places run by non-Japanese. However, a couple of things come to mind when reviewing this place. I've never had a problem with the freshness of the fish but the cuts were ragged and imprecise. I know the Japanese sushi chefs pride themselves on presentation so receiving a cut of fish that looks like it came from a generic sushi place was not expected. If the price point was more in line with generic sushi places I think that would be acceptable but Izumi does cost a little more. Also the chicken teriyaki is made from the non-premium parts of the chicken. It tastes fine, just like the sushi, but you can totally tell the cuts of the chicken are not, say, from the breast. If the price of Izumi were more in line with the generic sushi places I think these would be forgiveable but then that would make Izumi just another generic sushi restaurant. FWIW, I think the sushi presentation at I Love Sushi in Bellevue and Kiku in Redmond are better. Of course if you want really good Japanese food you have to go up to Vancouver, BC. ;)

    (2)

  • Jack B.

    Their sushi was not bad. I ordered the fatty tuna which was not very good. he food is always fresh and good and so is the company. We have gotten to know a number of the staff and some of the regular customers.

    (4)

  • Amanda S.

    Some of the best sashimi I've had in a while. So fresh. My boyfriend and I started off with the clams (which were just served in a very simple broth- not overpowered with garlic like some restaurants like to do), and then we ordered the sushi platter and tempura udon to share. They were both mouth-wateringly good. This place has a very authentic feel to it. It is pretty pricey but I think it's well worth it. I can't wait to come back and try the salted mackerel and sukiyaki!

    (4)

  • Eve R.

    My husband and I have been eating at Izumi for over 10 years. It is hands down one of the best sushi restaurants in King County. They have consistently provided us with great food and good service. It is our favorite date night restaurant.

    (5)

  • Dane M.

    I don't know what happened, but Izumi has gone from being Eastside best-of-class to just another japanese restaurant in a Kirkland strip mall. My last three visits have been mediocre. The quality of fish is questionable and was served at room temperature, maybe even slightly warm, and smelled, well, fishy. I also got an inedible order of toro the last time. The service is still good, but unfortunately I go there for the sushi. I'll continue to try Izumi every once in a while to see if things improve, I really miss the quality I had come to expect over many years of being a regular visitor.

    (3)

  • Molly W.

    I LOVE this place. It's shoved in a little stripmall in the Totem Lake neighborhood of Kirkland, but it's definitely worth hunting for it. I tend to get the salmon teriyaki. I'm not a fan of soft, moist salmon -- USUALLY. This is the only exception. It's delicate, oozy, yummy. Oooh. You get little salads and stuff too (Look in before you eat if you're picky, you may find a tentacled surprise in one of those salads!). I have not tried the sushi, so I am not going to rate that. My only complaint is that it's quite costly. While, last time I went, almost everything on the menu is under 20 dollars, usually it's just cutting it, so if you go in with a friend or small group it really adds up. It's worth it, though.

    (5)

  • Helen W.

    Let me start off by saying, the food was good. However, the service was horrible. We came in around 8 for take out and the restaurant was pretty empty. We sat at a table close to the hostess station and ordered. After ordering, the waitress asked us to go sit in the waiting area. We politely said that we would like to sit at the table if that's ok. She gave us a face and said no. We looked around the empty restaurant, looked at each other and then gave her a puzzled look. She then said something about cleaning and asked us again to sit in the waiting area. We decided to go to the grocery store while they made our food. When I came back, I walked back to the sushi counter and another waitress told me the food was not quite ready. I pulled out my credit card expecting to pay while I waited, but I was greeted with another 'please go sit in the waiting area'. She was nicer, but still, I was shunned to the waiting area again. I don't mind getting out of the way if the restaurant was busy, but they treated us like we didn't deserve to be there. Again, the food was good, but not good enough to offset the horrible service.

    (2)

  • Annie D.

    Hard to say what's not been said: this hole-in-the-wall (okay, it's NOT dumpy, but it's in the same strip mall as Value Village!) has probably the best traditional sushi in the area. You can count on it being fresh. The only downside: service is slow. And sometimes not friendly..but never rude.

    (4)

  • Peter F.

    Update. Still going back after all these years. And it is better than ever. The only spot for authentic Japanese home cooking on the eastside. The dinner dishes are excellent. Go for one of the bento Makunouchi sets if you want a nice variety of great food. The teriyaki is a bit Americanized, a common problem all over Seattle, but the rest of the menu is a cross between home cooked Japanese food and what you might find in a mom and pop restaurant in Japan.

    (5)

  • Michelle T.

    My brother and I were absolutley thrilled with our dinner here. Huge portions of sushi meat, like 3 times as much as the rice portion. I sat there in awe looking at the pieces and then when I tasted them, I was amazed. It was so fresh, the meat just melted as I bit into it. I have eaten Sushi for over 25 years all over the country, and have never had anything like this. We just said to each other, OK, this is what Sushi is supposed to be about. I will never be going anywhere else again. An absolute pleasure.

    (5)

  • Mayo B.

    So I was having a very "Brown" day (all puns intended). Just watched Alton Brown on his discourse about sushi and found out that my technique for biking was retarded, on revered Sheldon Brown's site. Ah that's why my back and quads felt like they were on fire everytime I pedaled uphill, or is it because I'm grossly out of shape... hmmmm. So I decided to try a near by place which would ensure that I don't have to bike too far during my bike back from work. Lo behold a Sushi joint nearby.. wonderful. I decided to squat in front of the sushi chef and trust his expertise (as per Alton's suggestion). It took a while before the chef warmed up to me, maybe it was because I ordered the roe eggs topped with a raw quail egg and actually expertly navigated the sushi into mouth without dropping a single morsel with the tiny chopsticks provided. All this was watched closely by the chef and by my neighbouring patrons(with mouths agape by the children) who probably thought that I was slightly crazy to try out such an apparently dangerous combination. Hah.. yes!! there are other exotic sushi's than the california roll. Whoops I ramble on.... Anyhoo the chef suggested the salmon; and was nice enough to allow me to sample all the different salmon species in one plate. The signs of a good sushi (and implicity the chef) is if the sushi without any additions (i.e no plastering it with wasabi or soy sauce) tastes wonderful. which in this case WAS. Mmmmm the salmon were all creamy and fresh with a slight taste of the sea. I was also given a discourse on what the various salmon species were and why they taste different. Food and education awesome. My kind of geeky outing. Anyhoo if it wasn't for the mix up in my billing I would have given them full points. Try the sushi bar( but be ready to shell out some money) if you order authentic sushi.( no california roll is not authentic, the name should have given that away).

    (4)

  • Cat C.

    This is a little whole in the wall on a strip mall; However, the food is fairly decent. The service was great, the sushi chef was accommodating, friendly and observant. My friend and I decided on dinner here. We sat at the bar and ordered the Omakase. Usually this consists of many different courses, some being sushi and others being cooked. The Chef gave us the option of all sushi sashimi or to have more of the course type omakase. He also asked us if there was anything we really didn't like (Uni of course, bleck! Sorry to any uni lovers out there!!). He gave us a nice assortment of sashimi and nigiri/sushi. Very tasty, not the freshest, but still good. I have had better sushi, but the service was excellent and the chef was very attentive. I am not sure if I will go back though.

    (3)

  • ralph w.

    Whenever I am traveling i always look for local places to eat and thank goodness I found Izumi. The place was packed, which I always find a good sign but i was in a hurry so i chose to take out. Checking out the sushi menu and noticed that have a California roll with real crab meat..ding, ding, ding,.. we have a winner. Also tried the beef teriyaki and that too is a winner. I will be visiting them again a few more times during the remainder of my trip.

    (4)

  • Francisco A.

    I have come to the conclusion that the best sushi restaurants (if not asian restaurants) are in sketchy suburban strip malls. The best sushi restaurants I have been to in this country have all been in strip malls. This place is pretty decent, although a bit expensive for what you get. The fish is fresh and the cuts are impressive. I'm still partial to Tuna House in Bellevue (another sketchy strip mall sushi house) but I'm definitely adding this to my mix of eastside Japanese.

    (4)

  • Angelina K.

    Outstanding sushi. Fresh. The real thing. No crazy weird rolls here. It can get busy on the weekends for dinner but worth the wait. Been coming to Izumi for years and it is always a treat to eat here. This is my favorite place to eat. Seriously.

    (5)

  • Anna L.

    I absolutely loved Izumi's. Their service was amazing, even though we had to wait 40 minutes for a table ( 6 people were with me ) and the food was even better! The sushimi was as fresh as could be, and everything tasted so delicious! I'm going to go back there again and again ( and bring more friends, too! )

    (5)

  • Letha F.

    How is it possible that the best sushi in Seattle is in a strip mall in Totem Lake? Well I suppose stranger things have happened. Seriously, the quality of fish at Izumi is right on par with Chiso and Shiro's. Lovely pieces of seafood at just the perfect freshness. Their menu is quite traditional as are the food presentation and the great service. The kani-su is absolute perfection every time, a huge portion of fresh crab over a fine sunomono. The chirashi, sashimi and sushi are perfectly prepared, good sized portions, and served with perfectly-seasoned rice. The tempura is crisp and delicious with a variety of veggies, and the noodles and teriyaki are tried and true deliciousness. They don't bullshlt around with 13 variations on a kalifornia roll or the odd stuff that passes for maki these days. Instead we're talking about perfect, classical Japanese fare. If you are serious about your sushi, go there. Enjoy.

    (5)

  • Zachary Sam Z.

    While it's not my favorite sushi place in the area, I gave it 4 stars for the atmosphere and the great service. I love the feeling when you walk in and everyone says "Irasshaimase!" and they all shout "Arigato!" when you leave. I had the chicken teriyaki and sushi combo, and it was a ton of food. All very good, well worth the price, and a great dining experience. It is really easy to pass over (I almost didn't find it), but well worth it if you make it there!

    (4)

  • Happy M.

    The food is pretty good here for what you pay for! The sashimi come in large pieces and the staffs are very nice. The black cod dinner was great, too. We'll definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Hitomi S.

    Izumi IS a totally 5 Stars! Great welcome when you walk in, service is quick and attentive. FOOD - Excellent, attention to details, fresh sushi and worth every $ spent. Tempura - I know they use good fresh oil, very crunchy outside - big moist shrimps inside, lots of veggies. Sushi - Beautiful (Japanese taste food with eyes first), fresh, and very nice size and precise cuts with yummy sushi rice. I recommend Izumi for great Japanese Food.

    (5)

  • Toby K.

    It's hard to find a Japanese restaurant that serves a wide array of dishes that aren't sushi. Their food is fresh and full of flavor. Their beef sukiyaki is really good- thin slices of beef served in a hot pan with veggies. My partner loves their sushi more than Maneki and prefers this restaurant any day. He asked his co-worker from Japan where to go to get authentic Japanese food and this is what she recommended, I'm glad he asked.

    (5)

  • Brock F.

    Lot's of good reviews already here so I won't say too much except this is THE Japanese sushi bar for the Eastside. We knew we hit it right the first time we came when half the sushi bar was Japanese. On our second visit, the live uni was wonderful as was the geoduck sashimi. Bottom line, you like to eat sushi or sashimi? Get yourself to Izumi.

    (4)

  • David Z.

    Izumi's is one of those good standby sushi bars. From the outside, it doesn't seem like much and is tucked away in a strip mall. Inside, it's a completely different experience. If you're looking for really exotic rolls (or simply a large selection of rolls), this isn't the place for you. The stuff that Izumi's serves is fairly limited, but what they do serve is always good. I've been here several times and I have yet to be disappointed with the quality of the sushi (fresh!).

    (4)

  • Julie H.

    Don't be offended if you get ignored when you first walk in. Rushing to greet customers just ain't their style. Be patient and you will be seated. Eventually. Give 'em a chance. The food is authentic. No frills. Don't go if you're looking for fancy or wacky rolls. Also not their style. Order omakase at the sushi bar. I always have hamachi and steelhead salmon sashimi. If you're a sushi lover, get the tobiko with a quail egg. If you like ankimo (monkfish liver), get it here. On a cold day, order the sukiyaki. It's meat or tofu or meat with tofu simmering in a soup and served with rice. Best sushi joint on the eastside. Success in a strip mall. It's got character.

    (4)

  • Jay W.

    Sushi and Sashimi ARE good here. HOWEVER, salad is iceberg lettuce with french dressing? The other sides (oshinko) also did not strike me as anything I ever had in Tokyo or in Yokosuka for that matter. This place is a bit overrated as I read all your reviews. Tea was average to low grade. Like Cat b. I noticed that I dropped off the map at the sushi bar when other patrons came in.

    (2)

  • Josephine F.

    My husband has been coming here for 20 years and, by association, I have been coming here for 15 years. We live in Redmond but we consider Izumi our neighborhood sushi place. The food is always fresh and good and so is the company. We have gotten to know a number of the staff and some of the regular customers. We usually sit at the sushi bar. As we've been coming here for years the sushi chef has gotten to know what we like. We love the ever changing selection of fish as the season changes. And don't be shy to ask if you see something interesting in front of another customer. That's how we learn and get to try all kinds of new things. On days that we don't feel like eating raw fish, we opt for a table for some good cooked Japanese food. It's home away from home for us.

    (4)

  • Mary M.

    this might sound bad but i've always been told that you can tell a great sushi restaurant by the amount of patrons that are Japanese. this makes sense right? well let's just say that Izumi should be located directly in tokyo..it is THAT amazing..in the middle of yucky totem lake...

    (5)

  • Jakob H.

    Wow. Best sushi we've had in the states, and as good as we had in Tokyo. Great little place that's usually packed on a Saturday night. Authentic Japanese - as in most of the wait staff write your orders down in Japanese and don't bat an eye if you ask for Ocha. The large sushi platter is excellent. We've found ourselves going here more than we probably should to get our sushi fix.

    (5)

  • S T.

    Love this place. Understated, fresh, great service and priced well.

    (5)

  • Anne B.

    My visit to Momoya said it was ok to go to sushi restaurants in strip malls. Izumi confirmed it. Great food, great staff, great atmosphere. It felt like a local family place, nothing fancy. Rolls were big, soft shell crab was huge. Delicious. Will definitely be coming back.

    (5)

  • April D.

    there is NO better sushi in all of seattle, period. in october, try the matsukasi mushroom soup. in february, the uni. always try the fatty tuna (toro), and hamachi. there's little shito-san doesn't know about sushi and the fish scene so be sure to saddle up to the bar and get to know him. his spot is on the far right, and he's ALWAYS there. tell him April says hi. :)

    (5)

  • Paulina N.

    Was just there last night and everything we had were really good. The Aji was melt in the mouth tender and the hamachi was creamy and fresh. I prefer sushi to kitchen food but they looked delicious too. Service was amazing too. We had a cute young Japanese man and he was very attentive with our tea and we never have to ask twice for anything.

    (4)

  • Gerald H.

    Great Japanese food if you are ever on the Eastside. We went here for dinner and it was PACKED on a Tuesday night. The sushi tasted great and the salmon special is the way to go. Be sure to go with someone that is fimiliar with Japanese food, if not you won't know what to get. The price can get a little expensive but it is in the range of a typical Japanese place. The service is also great. We had this sweet waitress and she was very quick.

    (4)

  • Bucky M.

    Their sushi was fine. I ordered the fatty tuna which was pretty stringy. I learned later that summer is out of season for fatty tuna, but they should have told me.

    (3)

  • Wanda L.

    I have had sushi and chicken udon here. The food is average/acceptable. I come here if my other favorite places are closed like Salmon Creek or Sushiya. The best thing about this place is that it is cheap and I never have to wait for a table because it isn't that popular.

    (3)

  • Heather S.

    Lunch. Very traditional however you would never guess from the outside as its in a small strip mall. Not a large selection of rolls, they dont even make Dragon Rolls which seems to be everywhere along with the California Roll but maybe thats just in California (I've had alot more sushi there!) Absolutely the BIGGEST slices of sashimi the world has ever known. Took a bar seat as recommended by my friend who talked to the chef and picked out the absolute freshest pieces of meat. I had about 4 pieces of Hamachi which were so delicious and mouth watering I wanted more but they were GIANT and I couldnt stuff my little self anymore after everything else. My friend had Ankimo which he liked very much, it took a really long time to get the edamame but they were super busy and more people coming in. The staff were all friendly and when we asked again for the edamame we got it right away with an apologetic bow from the old lady waitress who must have been 50. She was so cute and sweet, I felt bad and gave her a big smile and head bow and she smiled back with a real smile. They were out of sea urchin and it was only lunch so it must have been good and fresh, but that is just a guess based on the freshness of everything else we had. We ordered a large bottle of cold sake and unfortunately I didnt write it down and dont remember what it was but it was nice. They serve you with the square cups with a small round dish so you can overpour for prosperity. My friend and I made friends with a fellow Harley rider from Cali at the bar so the conversation was just as great as the food. Not sure what the prices or final bill was since I was being treated.

    (4)

  • Henri L.

    The food was great, although I found that there sushi selection was somewhat limited, that's why I'm giving it 4 stars.

    (4)

  • eugene s.

    This place is unreal. So crowded on a Wed night. Folks lined up outside the restaurant when I left. We ordered bento box, and beef sukiyaki. They are good. Quality is great. Fish is very fresh and tasty. Definitely worth going back.

    (4)

  • Mark R.

    I can't believe the way people rave about this place. It's okay - that's it. Just okay. It's like going to Outback for a steak.....it's probably a fine piece of meat, but you know you're not at The Met. And in you're in Kirkland. Sorry, but the rolls aren't that creative, the service is slow as molasses in wintertime and it's way too pricey for what you're getting. It's not horrible, but when you have Kisaku and Mashiko in town, the only reason to go here is if you work in Kirkland and you're tired of eating at Taco Del Mar for lunch.

    (2)

  • S S.

    Their sushi is really good. My mom and I think they're the best sushi restaurant around here. I usually order sushi, so I'm not sure about their kitchen food. When we get sushi, though, we usually sit at the sushi counter (there's a wait during peak hours). Their food is really authentic and service is good. It's kind on the pricy side and is a bit far away from downtown Bellevue/Seattle, but it's worth the drive.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth C.

    I have eaten a lot of sushi over the years, and much of it in the Seattle area. Izumi's is just wonderful, really the best. Our family eats a variety of sushi, the chicken, their salads... We have never been disappointed. On Friday and Saturday nights you might wait a little, but it is well worth it. Have a conversation with your dinner companion, sip your tea, and enjoy your evening out. Sushi, and Japanese cuisine in general, is NOT a fast food. If you have less time to spend at dinner, go on a slower night. We just got back from a mid-week dinner there and had just about no wait. There are other Japanese restaurants with fancy locations and larger square footage, but Izumi's is a quality restaurant for the most discerning of sushi lovers.

    (5)

  • Cathy C.

    The food was very good. Exactly what I would expect from a traditional Japanese restaurant. I had the special of the day, salmon teriyaki and tempura. Both were excellent. The teriyaki sauce was very good. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to ask for the salad dressing on the side. It seems like there was almost as much dressing as lettuce! As for the service, it was excellent! It was very refreshing visiting a Japanese restaurant with Japanese servers or "mama-san's" as I refer to them. They are always so polite and helpful! I will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Maria C.

    Their lunchtime bento box is loaded with sashimi, tempura, rice, teriyaki chicken and vegetables and is excellent. I like this place because you'd never guess the quality of food based on the unassuming storefront. I like the traditional way of serving, with steaming hot tea brought to your table as soon as you sit down by a kimono clad waitress, along with cucumber salad and miso soup. Don't bother with the lettuce salad. The sukiyaki is very hot and authentic and divine. I don't often get to the eastside, but meeting friends for lunch at this place is worth it.

    (5)

  • ameer r.

    sitt at the bar and let the high attitude chef take you on the ride of your life. the granny who poured my tea with a genuine smile made my day.

    (5)

  • Laura M.

    I was a long time customer - once or twice a week for almost five years. Tonight, I sent back a Kani sunomono - the first food I have ever sent back here - and the owner's wife argued with me three times (mind you, they totally know us a loyal, regular customers) that the Kani was fresh... Well, whatever, it was off... not fresh tasting... Anyway, they have good food but generally we have put up with bad service for the good food - but we're done. Tonight, for the first time in five years, not one person said good night to us - it was THE RUDEST restaurant experience either of us have ever had. We're done... not going there again!

    (1)

  • George V.

    When I used to live in Kirkland I used to go there all the time. All their food is great too. The staff there are really friendly and if you get to know them well they will want to know how your doing. :)

    (5)

  • Clint T.

    I would like to add to Shoko's review that their kitchen food is excellent as well, especially their teriyaki and noodles.

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Izumi

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