New Zen Japanese Restaurant

Came here for a sushi making class and left wanting to make this my new sushi spot. The environment was so warm and friendly. I enjoyed the detailed explanations on each step of the process. Everything was quite fresh. The amount we made was more than satisfying. I would recommend the class to anyone interested in learning the art of yummy sushi making. I look forward to returning for lunch or dinner in the near future.

Chicken Katsu curry was a perfect filling meal. And our server was a very welcoming lady, thank you so much 🙏

It’s a perfect place to have lunch meeting to talk about the upcoming trip to Japan. Chef Yumiko is so delightful and food is authentic

Absolutely incredible!!! The owner is very friendly. She makes the rolls and were all so delicious! The sushi rice I could literally have a bowl of just this. The tea was delicious. Staff is very attentive! I had vegetable roll, the California roll and a hand roll of some kind that was perfect! Cannot wait to try more of the menu! Will definitely be back!

This quaint restaurant has superb sushi, grill, and noodle dishes, served by a very friendly staff. Service can be a little slow because the business is only run by two people but it is worth the wait.

This is REAL Japanese food run by Japanese people with a Japanese chef. I have been searching for authentic and affordable Japanese comfort food for a while now and this is my new favorite restaurant in all of Seattle. I am half Japanese and grew up in Japan. This place filled a hole in my heart ❤️ ご馳走さまです！

I always get the best quality sushi here! And it's affordable! Their cuts are generous and fresh. I adore their agedashi tofu. Yutaka (sp?) is wonderful, and I always feel welcomed and like family. What a gem! I'll come back again and again. 🍣

My wife and I came in on a Saturday at 3:30pm. Our experience was not so great. We were the only ones in the restaurant. Service was extremely slow, our food took 25 mins.. food was ok, the restaurant has a weird odor inside almost smelt like musty.

Absolutely incredible!!! The owner is very friendly. She makes the rolls and we're all so delicious! The sushi rice I could literally have a bowl of just this. The tea was delicious. Staff is very attentive! I had vegetable roll, the California roll and a hand roll of some kind that was perfect! Will definitely be back!

Yummy Japanese style breakfast for early start and always fun visit;) we always got wonderful services at New Zen and the restaurant is always nice and super clean;)

My daughter and I attended a sushi class at New Zen Japanese Restaurant on 12/14/24 and it was a great experience! Chef Yumiko was a patient teacher who taught us some of her sushi-making secrets. The class was very intimate with the max of 6 students. She was very friendly, taught us about sushi, gave us insight to the Japanese culture and was very encouraging about our rolls ( even though some of our rolls were more like burritos lol). I would 100% recommend taking a sushi making class there. This is the first experience I've had with the restaurant but won't be my last. Thank you Chef Yumiko for offering your class and the Renton Chamber of Commerce for highlighting this activity!

Had a private sushi rolling class today at New Zen in Renton with chef Yumiko Miyake. Great time and wonderful food!!! Arigatou Chef Yumiko!!! Aloha Mahalo from Laurie and Charlie. Not only learned how to roll 4 types of sushi, but about Japanese food and culture, knife and presentation skils, the 28 year history of New Zen Sushi. Yutaka, her son, was the other sushi chef assisting too. 5-STARS*****

An update to this review according to the owner's response: Yes, We did get your warning that the kitchen is backed up, however a wait of nearly almost 1.5-2 hours seemed unreasonable. Your response is asking us to be 'patient and understanding' - We have been very patient and understanding that day (under a 86 degree lack of AC setting) Not only did we show patience by waiting, we have been kind towards your staff and also tipped kindly. Have I worked at a restaurant? Yes in fact I have. But a response like yours indicates that you are not open to feedback from your customers. Your response saying that I should not write a review.To be clear, everyone has a right to write any type of review on Yelp. Perhaps you should take this opportunity to assess what you could have done better for your customers. My suggestion is that you 1) let your customers know before they seat, that you do not have AC and it's broken 2) Clean and Turn on your ceiling fans. 3) Give a good approximation of how long it'll take for food instead of just saying things will be back up. Good luck.

The people who work here are nice and I have nothing really critical to say about the staff or the ambiance but the food I ordered wasn't amazing. The sushi I got fell apart, and the Ramen had nothing in it but sesame seeds and a few chopped onions. No meat no egg nothing just noodles, and the bowl looked half full. The water carafe that was brought out was luke-warm, making me assume it's been sitting on a counter in the kitchen for a few hours. Acceptable food I suppose I just feel like I could have made this all at home for $3.

This review is not for the omakase experience they have in the back of the restaurant. This is for the actual restaurant and the food we experienced. We ordered the Donkatsu with curry per recommendation by the server as well as a couple of nigiri pieces. Only reason I'm giving a 3 star rating is because the sushi was okay, but the donkatsu was not good. For one, it had a very "pork" taste which isn't like bacon or what you would think of when eating pork. Based on the recommendation and enthusiasm the server gave, I was excited. Sadly, it was a letdown. Secondly, the curry it came with was something I could make buying store bought curry - not saying it's terrible, but pretty disappointed because when I eat out, I try to get things I don't make at home. Lastly, portions were fairly small and for the price of $16+ for a subpar donkatsu meal, it didn't fit the bill. I love supporting small businesses and do not discourage others to go. I just try to give my honest thoughts in the hopes that it helps someone who is contemplating eating here, what they can realistically expect. I hope this also helps the restaurant management to learn and find out ways to improve, if they care about their customers and business.

This absolutely authentic, family owned, restaurant is absolutely fantastic. What a find. If you're looking for a cozy homestyle, authentic Japanese cooking, this is the place to be. Highly recommend the Futomaki. You can get traditional favorite items like natto here as well. I can't wait to come back.

We regularly go here for lunch and it's a wonderful place run by a wonderful family. It's very cozy! The lunch special bentos are an incredible deal and the best Japanese food you can find anywhere nearby. I like the Saba Shio bento, and the somen soup that you can add onto it is delicious. There are also a surprising amount of vegetarian options here, with several vegetable rolls, and lowkey the best vegetable yakisoba I've ever had. It's always a pleasure to go here. Very sad to see people complaining about the service. It's run by like 2-3 people most days and they're making you some amazing food. Backups happen.

The food is some of the best Japanese food I've had in the Seattle area thus far! Traditional Japanese dishes done right.

Service was excellent. Very courteous and friendly. Food was excellent as well. I had few appetizers and they were all tasty. One main dish curry beef with pork cutlets. Very good. I'll come back again for sure.

Zen has been in the serving the Renton / Kent Neighborhood for years. I am regular at this restaurant and every time that we go, no matter the day or time, there are always other regulars that come here. That tells you a lot about a restaurant. Yumi (the owner) friendly and fun personality always make you feel welcomed. We have done catering with them before for a party and held family and business dinners there because we love their food and service. My personal favorite foods to order here are their Oyakudon and Tempura Udon.

Been coming here for a while. Never disappoints. Great curry. Great sushi! Service is amazing. Always friendly.

The establishment is small, but cozy. The cook came and took our order. He was very cordial and polite. The owner was very nice as well. My food was delicious. I'll be back. The steak was tender, and well marinated. I tried a piece of my sister's chicken katsu, and it was also very good. Highly recommended.

Wonderful people. Great food. Friendly atmosphere. Favorite place for my wife and I.

Been to a New Zen a couple of times with my dad. It's one of my cousin's favorite places in Renton. We were both hoping they had shioyaki saba on the menu on our way there. They did thank goodness. We just got the Saba selected not to add the additional money for the meal cause we weren't too hungry.

WOW! I never would have expected this outcome, but it is what it is. I decided to circle back and give these guys a try. In the last decade they have a new location, so I just assumed everything would be upgraded. The decor was okay. The place was clean, but nothing was real fancy, and that's fine, if you got a lot of money to invest in decor that means you are making too much money off the food if you ask me. I had The Teriyaki Beey Bento Box Lunch. For some reason, Miso soup wasn't offered, that was strike #1. So I went with both Rice and Salad. I also chose the Gyoza options, which also ended up being a heavily breaded version of what in my opinion is a light appetizer. The absolute worst part was the beef. The portion was fitting of the $20 price tag, the problem came in the fact that the meat was tough, gristled and fatty. At least 1/3 was completely unedible. Another 1/3 was edible, but hard to chew. It was just a mess. I also noticed, I was the only one having lunch that also lead me to believe that maybe others had the same experience and this was the reason no one was here. Service was friendly and I'll admit, I was asked about my meal, but was in so much disbelief, I couldn't answer. It was clear, I had wasted my money and they had earned an updated review. I know little about the restaurant industry, but I have t believe if I was in it, that I wouldn't serve a single meal that I didn't expect someone to review. I'd never return here.

Wuuut?! How did I not know about this place. I've been searching for SOMETHING sushi in the area. I mean, ffs, why can't our area have good sushi?! Well, fun fact, we DO have good sushi. Not just good, melt in your mouth like butter glorious sushi. I brought my son in after school today because I just really wanted something good, and I saw Zen Sushi on yelp and thought why not.....Ill be honest, when we pulled up I almost turned around because the exterior isn't appealing and there's a lot of discouraging activities going on outside. But please, if you're reading this review, do NOT be discouraged. Its completely safe, sanitary and honestly....dang relaxing. I'd recommend everything but the edename. It tasted old, but I gather thats due to lack of business due to the virus. I swear to God their sushi is SO fresh, and absolutely addicting. My son (7) had the agedashi tofu and for the price the portion is more than enough and a steal at the price point. Please stop searching for sushi in the area and stop by here, you won't regret it.

Been coming here a good 7 years now. Yumiko runs a tight ship. If you're looking for a more traditional style Japanese restaurant, look no further. Everything I have ever tried here has been incredible and always fresh. They also don't slather all the sushi with sauces. They have more traditional spicy rolls instead of the mayo covered monstrosities you will find at other places. My favorite items (all simple but delicious) Katsu-don (I'm a sucker for a good katsu-don. She even serves it with beni shoga, the red pickled ginger) Kara-age (Always homemade with thigh meat and is just extremely light but crispy, I can never get enough) Negihama (Yellowtail is my favorite fish ever and is always fresh) Spicy Tuna (Like I said above, actual spicy tuna, not covered in mayo, but with actual spices) Salmon Skin hand roll (So damn good) Don't sleep on this joint. Yumiko and her son pour their souls into their food and it shows.

The veggie roll is really tasty. Reminds me of veggie kimbap. Everyone liked their food and said it's really filling. The pork and chicken bowl was enough for two meals each. The eggs were well cooked, soft, and flavorful. I also really liked the to-go bag. If you tried them, then you know!! :)

I've been coming to this restaurant for a long time and it is a favorite restaurant of mine! It is also very popular amongst many of my other Japanese friends and family members!! I love how homey it feels and the food always hits the spot when I go! I love getting the nabeyaki udon!!

It's a Saturday evening; just finished working as a vendor, at a sorority convention in downtown Bellevue. Headed to the airport, and wanted to treat myself to a light meal, and sushi sounded great. Found New Zen on yelp, sounded good in the reviews, and hear I am. Straight up, this is some of the best Sushi I've had in many years. The owner is a lovely Japanese woman, working here with her son, and I could not have asked for a better dining experience. Cozy little neighborhood restaurant; clean, roomy, lots of parking, and warm hospitality. Had the dragon tool, a crunch roll of some nature, and a unagi roll she suggested. Seriously, just ask her to make something that tastes good, and that's about all you need to do. Just enjoy the food. I will likely never get back here again, but if you are in the area, and sushi is on your mind, pay this place a visit, and tell her you read the review, from the guy in Kentucky, so she knows she made a memorable impression. Great customer service, and equally matched food, should be acknowledged and appreciated. Enjoy; this place deserves the elusive 5th star.

I was traveling for work in Renton and I was given this suggestion for lunch and it was delicious! The chef gave me a vegetable maki to start off with which was incredibly fresh and light in flavor. I ordered the bento, which came with noodle soup, rice, a main entree which I picked a broiled fish and two sides which I picked gyoza and sake maki. Everything was delicious, easy to eat and the meal was very affordable for Japanese food! I'll definitely be back again :)

A great experience!! I tried the Katsu Curry and the Rainbow Roll ... Yum! The katsu was delicately crispy in the outside and juicy in the inside and the curry was mild, but full of flavor with a little pickle on the side like back in Japan! The roll was very carefully prepared and gorgeous to behold. The rice was done just right and not too sweet or sour. The roll was packed gently, so if you're not used to eating sushi rolls, it might fall apart . The service was delightful and the ambiance was very just the right amount of tacky and cozy Highly recommend.

We had a california roll, rainbow roll, and extra spicy crunch roll. All were so delicious! The miso soup was also great. I will definitely be coming back when I'm in the area.

The best, freshest sushi in town. Fantastic service. I love this place! Would recommend to anyone!

Fantastic hidden gem serving authentic no frills Japanese food in downtown Renton! My Japanese wife and I had lunch here yesterday and wish we'd discovered this place 20 years ago. We both had the design-your-own lunch bento. My saba was perfectly seasoned and cooked, and the accompanying rice, green salad, seaweed salad and cold tofu were all very tasty and perfectly portioned. The meal even came with a complimentary starter bowl of hot somen noodle soup. The attentive waitress must've refilled my tea cup with fresh hot Japanese tea 7 or 8 times. Listening to the sushi chef chatter in Japanese to a customer eating lunch at the counter made me feel like I was back in Japan. Add in the rumble of a train or subway and I would have been totally transported back to Koenji. おいしいかった！

A great family feel when you walk in and are greeted by the staff. Like the Japanese restaurants of old in Seattle. Been going here since they were in their previous location. Yumi, the owner, maintains a high level of food quality in a traditional manner. If you are looking for a formal or upscale Japanese restaurant - go elsewhere. If you want relaxed quality at a reasonable price - eat here. Love the katsu curry, tempura makizushi, and the chirashi. Can get busy, so if have a large party, call ahead. Lots of parking next to restaurant and some theaters and other amenities nearby in downtown Renton.

I live nearby and want to support all my neighborhood businesses so I have eaten New Zen multiple times and am just more disappointed every time we order. The quality is average to sometimes almost inedible (a recent teriyaki order). The prices are so incredibly high compared to portion size and quality of the food. We eat a lot of sushi,sashimi and all types of Japanese dishes and were so hoping to add this place to our "regular " list. Don't bother. We have a lot of great Japanese food in the area and they do not compare in price or quality.

I ordered through DoorDash last week and it was delicious. I haven't found any other sushi place that can make vegetarian sushi, well. Usually, it's just a plain avo/cucumber roll which is super boring. This restaurant allowed me to do a custom roll in the past and has the Philly roll available. My kids also loved their rolls which had salmon and some other fish. Tried to order again today but it's showing closed. I hope they aren't closed permanently

This is my favorite Japanese food place since I was very little. Every year for my birthday dinner I go here it is a 10/10 I am always satisfied with the outcome of the food the service is really good they are so sweet overall this place is amazing would recommend to my friends:)

My hope for great ramen and sushi in proximity to my residence pushed me to New Zen. Unfortunately, said trial did not meet expectations. The noodle bowl contained three slices of brisket-like pork, a precooked brown egg and a couple of other smaller items not worth mentioning. The summary take on this soup - priced higher at $10, about a 15 min wait to cook and nothing special. The sushi rice was not moist, on the verge of dry. On the plus side, the friendly folks served with a mission of ensuring satisfaction. Update 3/9/12: owner has sent comment on my lack of knowledge on ramen. I do not claim to be an expert on ramen but I do know that there are better ramen noodle bowls elsewhere and that is my basis for comparison. As always, your mileage may vary.

This is a nice gem on Benson Hill. Coming from central Renton, it's easier to take Benson Dr as opposed to Hwy 167. A nice hole in the strip mall type place. And the New Zen neon sign seems to have a cool 80's/early 90's flair to it. Kewl. I think this is a Japanese ma' & pa' place, and even has a great website, too. I'm immediately greeted by a lady in a kimono, who turns out to be Yumiko (co-owner?). It was quiet and slow that evening. Feel free to sit where ever you like; just settled by the wall at center. She was sufficiently patient with me as I perused the great menu. (thx!) Also came with a paper if you chose to select from 2 combo specials stand-alone, or in addition to whatever else you wanted (since i mentioned to her i was thinking about trying Natto for first time, she said i could try a Natto roll... cool). So I also got a Natto roll. My special (see pic) was good and had freshness to it. Mmmmmmm-Mm. Also, the fish slices were well cut and towered over their rice beds.... speaking of fish nigiri, I could totally devour a trayfull of salmon/tuna nigiri. -Right. --Now! Yumiko was really kind and pleasant. When brought my miso soup, she offered spoon or *motioning hands* japanese style? JPN style, yo. ^^ Some things I regret not trying, as I'm pretty sure I had some room left, was perhaps the Lychee sorbet or Ginger ice cream (I swear I noticed them checked off on the table triangle thingy). All was flushed down with an iced tea. One minor thing i noticed was previous reviewer Uhura mentioned a hot towel, but didn't have one; unless they're at the bar. You know you want to try them out. Hop to it, yo. ^_^ I'd like to come back and try their katsu curry & katsu don. **6/2010**: Went back and tried the straight up Natto... yeah, it's like online stuff says, strong, pungent, and an acquired taste by those who like it. I had to mix in some brown rice to finish it. :)

I seldom appreciate simple food with a 5 star rating and do not expect out of town people to get this. If you had lived in Seattle since the 90s, you might understand what I am going to say. Simple, delicious and always consistent. It a great place for good food at a very reasonble price. They are on top of my list of good Japanese restaurant in the great Seattle area. I have had lunch here numerous times. They had been very consistent. They may have the best croquettes in town. Period.

I've finally found authentic Japanese food! Yay! I love New Zen. The owner is so nice and friendly as is all the staff. Even on busy nights they usually will have seats which is nice. Because of the location I constantly looked past this restaurant thinking it was some white rendition of Japanese food, but it's not. The food here is great! The service and taste is consistent. I wish I could eat here every day but it's a little pricy for that. I like the ambiance and how the owner often wears her kimono. It's so cute and gives it that extra touch. I heard a new company bought the building the restaurant is in. I hope they don't have to move or anything because it's so close to my house and has such great food. I haven't found anther place in the area with food as good as here. If you come here you have to try their tempura ice cream! This is the only place I've found any since I moved up to Seattle.

My husband spent a few years in Japan and always craves Katsudon when we try a new Japanese restaurant. He loves New Zen's katsudon and I go for their sushi which is exquisite! 1 star off for this order missing wasabi, ginger and soy sauce :(

Wish I could give this place 0 stars. These people are prime examples of why not everyone should be business owners. The food is subpar at best and the only reason I attempted a second visit to this place is because its right next to my school and its convenient. I call to place an order over the phone. I order a roll, appetizer and I ask for no wasabi and a little side of sauce. First off, I'm asking for a sauce that is a part of one of their rolls on their menu and the lady on the phone (the "owner") keeps asking me like she doesn't know what sauce I'm talking about, then she finally says ok. We hang up. When I arrive I pull my card ready to pay for my order, as she is reading me my order. I look at the tab and this lady is trying to charge me $2.20 for a tiny side of sauce ( yes the sauce that she didn't even know she, the "owner" had). INSANE. Like yall have really lost yall minds. A tiny side of sauce and didn't even fill it up and you really think someone should pay you $2.20 lmao!! I proceed to say " well you can go ahead and take that off". She then sigs and rolls her eyes and turns towards the register. I don't care, I'm not paying for you almost $3.00 for a drop of sauce. Obviously not that I cant afford it but that's ridiculous, and yall really be out here falling for anything these days lol and I am not the one or the two. She then proceeds to catch an attitude and tell me "Well we have to pay a lot for our things too". Girl bye! lol there's no way you are about to justify that price. I then say "Yeah anyway I don't want it." All of a sudden she is in her feelings over the drop of sauce and is like the price is on the menu, its says how much sauce is on our menu." And I say " What menu? I called over the phone." I know for a fact its not on the online menu because that's what I looked at to even order in the first place. She looks at the in store menus and after a million more sigs she starts to stutter and says "Well I cant sell you this" and I'm like "So you are about to loose out on money for the whole order because you're mad and in your feelings about the fact that I'm not about to pay you for that sauce that you can easily be put back?" The audacity and stupidity was beyond me. And after reading the other reviews on here and her responses to them I can defiantly see a pattern of immaturity and pettiness this lady possesses. I leave the place and I'm livid, not only have I not eaten all day and its past 6pm this lady has really lost her mind. I stand outside and look at the online menu again, because if I'm in the wrong then I'm in the wrong and that's on me, even though if a customer asks you take something off, especially when its something that's not even prepared like a drop of sauce I don't see the issue. I look at the menu just to make sure I didn't miss where they are charging almost $3.00 for a drop of sauce and of course its not there. I go back in and ask to speak to the manager, she looks at me and says "Why?" Like are you serious right now?? She then says "I'm the manager, I'm the owner". And so I'm like ok, at this point I'm dealing with a whole clown. This lady is WAY too old to be acting like this. I then confront her with the menu and ask her to show me where it says anything about extra sauce, and of course she cant show me because its not there after she wanted to argue me up and down that IT WAS ON THE MENU. She then tries to flip it on me and says "You didn't know it wasn't on the menu". I said " This is your menu! Its not my job to know what's on it its yours! And you don't even know what's on it are you serious right now?!" Yall this lady really almost took me out of my character! Some husky dude then comes from the back like he was about to do something, sir bye. No one is afraid of you. What where you about to do? NOTHING. So of course after she couldn't find it she has the nerve to say, "OK I will sell you the order without the sauce". I can not even believe this lady LMAO. so you really think I'm about to give you a dime of my money after all this and your "solution" was to do exactly what I asked you to do in the first place but you where do butt hurt over your over priced sauce that you just couldn't fathom me asking you to take it off. The people in these restaurants have really lost it, but yall got me messed up. TRASH TRASH TRASH. Mediocre food, terrible, petty staff. Stale, stuffy atmosphere. Clowns. With the sushi market so saturated and so easily accessible go spend your money on something of better quality and reasonable staff. 0 out of 10 WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!

Cute little family owned restaurant with what seems like an authentic interior. We came during lunch and it was awfully empty. They have nice lunch deals and a nice selection of options. We enjoyed bento boxes which came with a noodle soup with clear broth and we weren't sure of what was on top but it was savory and warm regardless.

Honestly....it was meh. I ordered a Rainbow Roll and Washington hand roll. It wasn't very tasty and the rice was a bit undercooked. For what they charged it just wasn't worth the price. I did have it delivered and it got here in less than 10 minutes and I didn't order anything hot. It was highly unremarkable Probably won't order again.

Went here because a friend wanted to try it. Wasn't really in the mood for sushi but they had ramen they say we went so I tried it. The noodles weren't as soft as you would want with what they used. Didn't get to pick any toppings and it was just kinda bland to me. The pork belly in it was a huge piece that was cut funny and just chewy. I had a green tea martini which wasn't really green tea like at all. Also got the sunomuno which I was just expecting the cucumber but got a whole lot of other stuff instead. Overall, probably won't come again.

I dont know how to reach out to the owner since she commented on my review. Anyways, maybe my husband is a good talker when he picks up the orders but I'm not a very good talker. I stutter and choke on words because I'm just not good with conversation... Im terrible with socializing. Even that, i shouldn't have to explain myself as a customer. I also was not asking for an explanation from you either. I wrote a review on our opinions of this restaurant. He was actually the one to notice about the salad and pricing. He does not use Yelp as actively as I do so I am speaking for both of us. I also mentioned that the food here is delicious but yes, it is very unfortunate. Thanks again.

The dude who was wearing a red chef shirt was a douche bag. I ordered the food for my family and was supposed to be ready in 20-25 mins. I got there early hoping it would be ready. When I got there he told me, they didn't start on the order. Then as I was paying he said with a rude tone "I told you it wouldn't be ready for another 25 mins." I was a bit surprised and taken back. He seemed to be lacking social and customer service skills. I definitely will not be back. I will take my business elsewhere.

Outstanding Sushi and More in Downtown Renton. We have been going to New Zen for as long as they have been around, over 20 years, starting at their original location near Benson Center. Yumi and son Yutaka serve amazing quality and creative sushi and dinner entrees. Always fresh, high quality at a very fair price. Service is always friendly and prompt. All this right here in Downtown Renton next to Renton Civic Theater. You can't go wrong. Excellent!

New Zen is my favorite Japanese restaurants for workweek lunches in Renton because of the friendly service and authentic home style food. My favorite dishes are the Katsu Curry and the lunch bento. For $9.85 you get to choose your own bento, selecting your main dish with two sides. It also comes with salad and somen. For under $10 it's a steal as you can't even get a plate of teriyaki for $10 bucks anymore. I really want to try the ramen, but every time I go I end up getting the bento. Food comes quickly, so it's not a hassle to come in for a sit down lunch on your lunch break. Service is friendly, though every time the girl drops something off at the table she always says "sorry". Maybe it's a Japanese thing, but there's nothing to apologize for! Love New Zen and will continue to come when I get the cravings for Japanese.

My absolute favorite Japanese restaurant in Renton. First impressions are very important but consistency is what makes New Zen so wonderful. As soon as I enter I'm greeted in Japanese by the owner/sushi master and I'm always eager to see what exciting things she has to offer. Everyday there is a new special on the menu and although I fancy myself a well-traveled foodie with a whole two weeks in Japan in my repertoire, the items that I chose to try on my visits here are always new to me. For example, I had no idea that turkey meatballs could taste so sublime or that a simple take on tuna might give me a fish-crush. I LOVE this place and what's funny is that it's right next door to Heaven Sent, but I tried Zen first. Yes, I DO love fried chicken but I'm a complicated Black chick so sometimes some raw fish really makes me smile!

Walked in and it was gross. It smelt, the bathrooms were filthy, and the tables were dirty. We were polite and had decided to leave quietly before we had ordered anything the lady was so rude to us and screamed at us on our way out the door.

Quiet place with very Japanese feel. Quality and size of the fish is good. Service is fine. Presentation was nice. Mid to high for price. The lunch bento box was $13.50. Sushi or sashimi sampler $16.

Excellent fresh sushi at a reasonable price, and takeaway restrictions still had everything pristine

I happened to be up on Benson Hill around lunch time so I thought I'd check out New Zen. I was here once with a couple coworkers for lunch well over ten years ago, but other than the name being the same, New Zen was unrecognizable from my previous visit. Inside, there is now a sushi bar along with several tables. The interior has a cozy feel. I loved the evergreen textured walls. Service was attentive, warm and friendly from start to finish - and it was the service that propelled this review to four stars. I ordered $8.95 Bento lunch special. They gave me a checklist where I marked the boxes for options I wanted for my Bento Box. I went with the "minced meat" katsu, mashed potato croquette and squid salad. I could have selected chicken, beef, salmon or even tuna teriyaki. After I placed my order, my server brought me a bowl of "soup noodle", which was like a miso soup with thin noodles and finely sliced scallion. Very good. Everything in my bento box was delicious. The sausage-like katsu was good to start with, but really came to life with the application of a bit of soy sauce. I also enjoyed the potato croquette and fresh squid salad. I especially loved the side of rice. It wasn't just rice but was adorned with tempura flakes and and a little sweet soy sauce. Delicious! Definitely one of the better Japanese restaurants in Renton.