"Takai is a see-and-be-seen sushi spot where everyone is united—Microsoft VPs, influencers, and tourists who thought Bellevue was actually located in Seattle. But beyond the glitziness, this 23-course omakase delivers the same kind of sushi mastery you would expect from the team behind Sushi Kashiba. Try to get an early counter seat at 5:30pm, when the atmosphere is a little more relaxed and you can witness preparations of terrific dishes like nine-day aged mackerel and Dungeness crab nigiri up close. If you're lucky, Shiro Kashiba himself may just stop in to see how your dinner is going." - kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente