Tanuki Izakaya

The BEST quality and reasonable price sashimi in Seattle. Guys, you definitely gotta try their 9 spots Jewel box, it would not disappoint you. There are 9 different kinds sashimi in the box, every piece is FRESH, it doesn’t have the smell usually associated with fish. Secondly, the Chawanmushi you gotta try it out as well. There are chef-made truffle sauce, salmon roe and uni on the top, the steam egg is super tender and smooth, there are two little shrimp at the bottom, very tasty and the texture is full of layers. Order a bottle sake pairing with these food will be wrap up the dinner. 100/100 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Not sure why there are so many negative reviews about the front store waiter. When I dine in, Nothing was wrong with the server services. I get my water refill and even a quick presentation about each beautiful entrée courses. I went on a Saturday night 10pm, it was busy and lucky we took the last available table. Every dishes was prepare thoughtfully and well executed. Most importantly, I Like to address about the prices. It’s slightly in the higher end if you were to compare all the restaurants in the University way. However, you truly get the top quality seafood of what you paid for. Reviewers complaining about the price point aren’t understanding how restaurants have to go thur to prepare fresh ingredients at the same time beating the horrible inflation. This place is perfect for group gathering and for special occasions like when you ace your tough exams!! I highly recommend this place.

Amazing, amazing food! Genuinely everything we ordered was super good. Recommend the uni steamed egg and sashimi. A bunch of selection of sashimi that delivered directly from Japan. Fresh is everything! Great Udon as well, and a nice selection of sake. Cute sake cups are a big plus😉 We add money on Sashimi. It was so tasty! Good service upgrade our whole experience. The staff was so nice and friendly. Good atmosphere here. Definitely rate here the best Japanese food in the area!!

We were there week day night, 1 hour before their closing. Several groups came in for dining after us, too. Service was a little slow since only one person took care of their entire tables plus weekday night. We had Donburi sets, chirashi-Don set $38 which is sashimi on the top of sushi raice with small plates' vegetables and chawanmushi (japanese savory custard). Gyu-don set, about $25 which is beef, onion simmered with soy sause including soy sause, dashi, mirin. Their price is higher side but food is good. I appreciate how they did a good job of cooking their rice. I grew up most of my life in Japan, one of the famous rice towns. Looks like workers are not Japanese. I assume by their conversations and K pop music. Overall, I satisfied their quality.

OMG! This Japanese cuisine restaurant is fantastic! I heard about this fancy restaurant when I was in New York, because Chef Dylan was the former line chef of New York’s top Michelin restaurants ‘Masa’ and ‘Brushstroke & Ichimura.’ Additionally, he is also the founder and executive chef of ‘Minamoto.’ You really should try it if you are in U-District and a sushi/omakase/Yakitori lover. TBH, I never thought I could have such high quality Japanese cuisine and service in U-District that can compare with those top restaurants in NYC. Love it! Will def. visit there again!

WOW. So pleasantly surprised. The chef is incredible here. Most pieces had their own personal twist. Chawanmushi was out of this world. The truffle mushroom sauce on top is a stroke of chef genius. The ikura on top added wonderful umami as well. There were also clams (I think) on the bottom. The Spicy Tuna Oshizushi had the perfect ratios of sauce and tasted amazing. All the nigiri pieces were great too, with a lot of pieces seared on the top and/or smoked quickly in a chamber. The rice was also the correct temperature (body temp), surprisingly rare to find now. Fish was also a good temp for melting in the mouth, but of course wasn't as perfect as an omakase; still amazing compared to other sushi restaurants! The skewers were also delicious and not over cooked, yummm. Very impressed, probably my favorite place now that Wataru is controversial.

It is a cute and nice restaurant. The service is great and food is good. If you have a really high expectation on sushi, it may not satisfy you 100%, but it was still delicious. If the price was 20% lower, it would have been perfect.

This is the best Sushi place in my mind! The delivery of the restaurant has made us a lot of wonderful memories during the pandemic when all other sushi places were closed. I love the Sweet Shrimp most and the Kani Salad is so surprising! The cucumber’s fresh meets with the crab meat’s sweet, which made me feel like in Hawaii. Next time, I must go for the dining to feel the atmosphere and I am confident it will be a great experience.

A splurge for me to come here as it's a little pricey (almost $30 a set), but it's definitely worth it! Their sets are a must get! You choose your main dish, which we ordered their oyakodon and sakedon. But the most unique thing is their side dishes! You're given salad, croquette, pickles, egg soufflé (to die for), and dessert. It has changed every time I've visited, so it's quite a surprise! But it never disappoints.

I don't like being critical on small businesses but the jewel box was really not worth it and extremely overpriced. I got two of those for my friend and I - we didn't even finish it. It was disappointing. I did enjoy the fried oysters and grilled pork belly. I think the rice bowls are the move. If I ever come back, I would probably try the rice and meat items. Would not recommend sushi items.

I came here on a Sunday night with my boyfriend and there was no wait and only a few other diners. We ordered the chawanmushi for an appetizer, udon with beef for me, and gyudon for my boyfriend. The chawanmushi was hot and delicious--the egg was covered with some sort of mushroom/truffle/umami sauce and while it doesn't look like much, it was perfectly soft and custardy and the sauce was amazing! Slightly sweet and very flavorful. There were even a few bits of scallop at the bottom--yum. I was feeling slightly under the weather and this was the perfect thing for a cold day. I would give this dish a 5/5. My boyfriend got the gyudon, which he rates a 4/5. His notes: pretty flavorful and plentiful beef, creamy egg, and well cooked rice. However the dish could have been more flavorful overall. When I tried it, I thought it was a little sweet and 1 note. My udon had a good amount of beef and nice chewy noodles. I enjoyed the broth, which tasted pretty standard and comparable to other udon I've had in the area--a bit sweet with hints of dashi(?). The big issue I had with this was the egg--normally I love soft-boiled eggs in hot soup but there was something off about these. They were a bit bland and I ended up not eating them, which is extremely unusual for me. I would give this dish a 4/5, but it's a little on the generous side. I was looking for a place to satisfy my udon craving and this did the job, even though I had a few small notes. Overall I enjoyed the food (I will definitely be getting the chawanmushi again!) and I would come here again.

This is my second time visiting Tanuki. The first time I was here, it was a 5/5, but the second time, it dropped to a 4/5 because of the service and food quality. The restaurant is relatively small, so I recommend reserving a table instead of waiting 30-45 minutes. It can get busy during dinner, and I can bear a slow service. However, service could be better as we needed utensils and had to remind them to refill our water. I love the presentation of the food, but the taste and quality did not match up to the first time I was here. The pork katsu was a bit dry and bland compared to the first time when it was crispy and juicy. The unagi don set was flavorful, and I would get seconds.

Decent izakaya that opens late (which is hard to find actually in Seattle) but overpriced. I went here with a friend spontaneously on a Tuesday an hour before closing for some food. We shared the uni foie gras toast, chawanmushi with ikura add-on, and negima (chicken thigh skewer with scallion) and my friend ordered a chirashi bowl for himself. Uni foie gras toast: $19 for a few small pieces of uni plus seared foie gras is a bit pricey, as it is so tiny it can be consumed in a bite. The toast is good - crunchy throughout, and the uni is decently fresh. The placement is interesting as the uni is on one side and the foie gras on the other. It is nice as a novelty but a rip off to get in a common occasion. Chawanmushi: a tofu with hints of truffle flavor. This is decent, and the ikura pairs pretty well, though the add-on is an extra $5. Negima: the skewer is pretty standard. Nice sauce that goes along (you have the option of sauce or salt). Chirashi: personally have not tried but my friend said it was pretty mediocre and the rice is too sour. The only thing fresh was the salmon. Even if not considering the chirashi, this place still is a 3 stars. We were one of the only two parties in the restaurant late at night, but it was such a hassle to flag down a server to refill water, etc, even paying for the bill. The server just chats and doesn't do his job. For such a pricey restaurant, I expected a lot more in this front as well.

(3.5/5) tldr: They used to have a lunch special that was very worth it, but it turns out they got rid of it. Now, the food is overpriced. Food (3.5/5): The food was pretty good, but overpriced. I got the gyudon set, and it came with miso soup, a salad, egg pudding, snow fungus soup, and this fried ball. I liked the variety, and the gyudon was pretty delicious. I just don't think this is worth $25 pre-tax and tip. Service (4/5): There was just one waiter, but it was enough since the restaurant wasn't that busy. The service was pretty standard. Ambiance (4.5/5): The restaurant is not that big, but it is well-decorated.

I've had mix feelings about Tanuki. I've had two Friday lunches here, and both times ordered the jewel box. The first time I came.. I was blown away with my jewel box! It has amazing variety of food, quantity was generous... and I couldn't stop raving about it. I couldn't wait to come back again with more people. I came back on another Friday, and wanted to replicate my wonderful experience again. I ordered the same exact thing... and also knowing that it's basically omakase style bento. second time around the variety was lacking.. and I received a lot of fish that I did not enjoy. We also ordered the Uni fois gras the second time.. and did the mistake of not asking for price. Was a bit of a sticker shock when we got the bill $16 per slice. We ordered 5 so it was a $80 dish. It was good, but not sure if it was worth it. We do always enjoyed their chicken karage. Cooked to perfection. Udon was very mediocre at best. I do want to give Tanuki another try.. and hopefully find something I could order... and know it'll always meet my expectations! I really enjoy their yuzu drink too!

Good Japanese izakaya like food served on the upper end of UDistrict. There's rolls, skewers, appetizers, set menus, and drinks! The presentation of the food is on point and the decorations inside are cool! Food I went late at night and just got some appetizers to munch on while hanging out with my friend and catching up. We got the mentaiko potato, takoyaki, and spicy salmon oshizushi. My favorite was the mentaiko potato as it was crisp and popped a little in the mouth. It also had a good amount of spice to it. The oshizushi was interesting since I hadn't had pressed sushi before but it was good and had a soft texture to it. It was not too spicy. Would eat it again! Atmosphere The restaurant is very well decorated and nice vibe to it. Pretty chill for a Friday night and it wasn't that crowded or loud at all. Great place to have a low key hangout quietly and grab some good food. Pricing Prices are average and worth it overall. Service The servers were nice and friendly. Service was fast and food came out quickly. Other Some street parking is available and might be easier to find compared to the lower end of UD. They also have really nice looking set menu courses and bento boxes!

If you're in the mood for some fancy and good quality Japanese food, make a stop by Tanuki Izakaya. While it's not truly your traditional izakaya, this place serves up a pretty decent variety of Japanese food. I went here for a group dinner and overall, my friends and I enjoyed our meal here. Here are some of my takeaways from this place: Food: The Highlights Nigiri: THE UNI AND HOKKAIDO SCALLOPS = to die forrrrrrrr. Very fresh and uber yummy! :D I totally would order this again Dinner Sets: Honestly, this is THE best bang for your buck. You get an entree + miso soup + a couple of side dishes. For me, it definitely brings back the vibes of the meals I had in Japan. I tried the Unagi option and it was so delicious. Eel was fat and juicy and sauce was on point. Do note that you can fancy up your meal by adding uni for an extra $10 on whatever item :) Corn Fritters: Surprisingly really good! If you like corn, this ball of goodness will hit the spot Yakitori: Pork Belly + Chicken Hearts = mmmm! Very tasty and on point. I wish there were more options to choose from though. Food: So so Pressed sushi - definitely a bit let down by this dish. Compared to the other items I tried, this was the least tasty and was a bit too cold for me to enjoy. Takoyaki and Karaage Chicken - very average and not memorable. I would say, save room in your tummy and order the other items. Wait time: Despite having a reservation, my friends and I ended up waiting close to 30min over our scheduled time before getting seated. Not sure if it's an off night, but service overall was a bit slow. Drinks: Limited options for drinks in general. I wish there were more beer or liquor options instead of the extra pricey sake list. It would also help if the staff could explain a bit more about the sake options too. Interior: Very cozy with partitions in between tables. Recommend doing a RSVP if you're in a group since the place itself is pretty small. In all, I would come back again to try more nigiri and dinner sets. :)

I was hoping to dine onsite, but due to its tiny capacity and I had no reservations, it ended up being takeout back on 8/6/21. The menu prices were just a bit out of place for being on the upper Ave in the University District. I know I would have had to have saved up for such an indulgence had this existed during my UW student days and early in my professional career. Pro tip and note to self - return during lunch service to experience the signature jewel box and chawanmushi onsite. Or make reservations ahead of time, duh. Several others were turned away as I waited for my takeout order. It was a very pricey splurge and I was getting a bit tired of stuff via takeout. However, blame the pandemic. The omakase selection accurately falls under the guidance, you get what you pay for. Pricey, but thankfully high quality nigiri assortment once I dined at home.

Pretty darn good. Been here twice now but finally found the time to review it. Got the mentaiko potato and that was surprisingly good. I'm generally not into potatoes, but to my surprise, the texture was crunchy instead of the usual starchy-ness and the mentaiko flavor was spot on. Had a bit of a kick too! The karaage wasn't anything to write home about, but the spicy mayo aioli that came with it definitely elevated the taste a lot more. Also got the shio Saba and that had just the right amount of salt. The only thing that made the dinner disappointing was surprisingly the chirashi bowl. For $35, I got only 7 pieces of sashimi. While they were all pretty tasty cuts (3 slices of chuutoro, 2 slices of hamachi, 1 cut of sweet shrimp, and 1 scallop), it didn't seem worth the hefty price tag. The rice was kinda flavorless as well. I'd recommend going to somewhere like Musashi's or something for a chirashi bowl that's more bang for your buck. Lastly, service was great. I wish they had bigger water glasses so I didn't have to wait for the server to come back so often just to refill it. Great little spot, but definitely not cheap.

Quick and easy lunch. No reservations were needed during lunch hours (unsure about dinner). They have specials on the board but I already knew that I wanted the Jewel Box. All the pieces were fresh and tasty. My favorite was obviously the uni. We also ordered the chicken karaage and takoyaki which were both great. The karaage was crispy and paired well w/ the creamy sauce while the takoyaki was meaty yet soft. Lastly, their mini toro and uni don is really mini. So don't count on that to get you full, it's more of an add on.

** all donburi is on lunch menu only Did take out for lunch the other day. Although prices are quite high, especially for U-district, the quality was worth it. Amount of fish was not the most but was still satisfying Chirashi don has lots of diff fish options. Some places do lots of sashimi of a few kinds of fish, here they do a slice of many fish. I could have done without the raw shrimp or fried head. Sushi rice was moist and warm and topped with furikake. Salmon sake don was great quality. Not many slices as some other spots though. Salmon eggs were quite salty but good with the rice. Wasabi that came with both bowls was quite strong so don't overdo it! Gyudon had a perfectly cooked egg. The sauce was a little too sweet for me but I thought the rice absorbed it well. Pickled radish was great and would have loved more! Chicken karaage is hard to judge since I did take out and didn't eat fresh. Nice spicy Mayo dip, but ofc wasn't as crispy after the drive. Pieces of the chicken skin were still crispy tho!

My only regret is that we didn't try their jewel box! My friend found this spot on TikTok of all places, and it turned out pretty flames....... Maybe TikTok is doing some good in the world after all. Interior is adorable. Japanese decor and embellishments all throughout the restaurant, real local feel. For COVID safety purposes, tables are thoroughly sanitized, clear plastic walls divide each table, and masks are required. Our servers were charming and attentive-- I don't think there was a second that we had an empty pitcher of water. MINI UNI DON: Pricey! The slabs of uni add to the cost, but SO delicious. The bowl fits probably a fist-sized ball of rice. Small portions-- big flavor. We were awed by the freshness of every dish. Note: my two friends' stomachs were slightly upset later in the evening, but I left the restaurant unscathed... Could've been a coincidence, but both ordered the chirashi don while I had only uni. Wondering if something happened with their fish choices. Just a fair warning!

Service was good but food was meh. The dishes seemed to be salty or completely lacking salt. The gyudon was okay but it was super salty. On the other hand, the beef udon had no salt at all. The mentaiko potato was very fishy compared to other mentaiko potato I've had.

First time here and enjoyed my unagi bowl. If you are looking for skewers or more I'd go to Shinya Shokudo. This place has a variety but not that much within each entree. Service was good.

I always end up coming around when i get the chance to! The Tempura Maitake Mushrooms are my absolute favorite & I will probably always get them! I also love the spicy fried prawns as a staple. This last time I came around they had Kama as their special so we ordered the Hamachi Kama which had a nice char & was super rich and fatty! Sooo good It can be considered pricey but I always have a great time since the staff is friendly and the atmosphere is a chill but lively vibe.

Came here with my husband for date night! The overall ambience is clean and inviting. Our waiter was friendly, professional, and accommodating. I also liked the use of plexi-glass to provide a safe dining experience. We got a couple sake nigiri, chirashi bowl, (pressed) unagi pieces, 9 nigiri jewel box (nigiri also available for sub with 2 sashimi pieces), and pork belly skewers. The pork belly skewers were cooked and seasoned to perfection. The nigiri fish were very fresh - I'd highly recommend. I felt the fish to rice ratio was a bit off, with the nigiri having too much rice. Also, I rated 4 stars instead of 5 because the sushi rice was cooked with a little too much water (too soft) and a bit heavy handed on what I believe was the rice vinegar(?) Also, the price is a little more on the expensive side. Finally the hot tea was wonderful. Perfect for a cold wintry night. Overall we had a great dining experience! We would definitely recommend.

This is a great sushi spot! We had a delicious light dinner. The service was great and everything we ate was fab! We shared seared salmon nigiri and a bowl of sashimi. It was all fantastic. They really catered to gluten free too - we had ordered something else but unfortunately it wasn't gluten free but the kitchen caught this and gave us an alternative! I would definitely recommend coming here. It's a relaxed atmosphere with great food.

There was only one server for our meal but he was still very accommodating and kept apologizing. The food came out fairly quickly and everything was very good. Most pieces seemed to have a fair amount of rice, maybe alittle too much for me. The yellowtail was super tender and flavorful. I will say I prefer my salmon raw as they only did seared salmon. The karage was absolutely amazing and the uni tasted like the ocean. Didn't think I would like uni or foie gra but together they melded so well. Alittle pricey doe.

This spot was alright. I think we maybe just got thrown off by some aspects of the service, and some of the items were a little pricey. My partner was brought, and I'm not exaggerating, three wrong meals that belonged to other customers before finally getting his correct dishes. I had been served all of my food a good 15-20 minutes before his correct dish was served to him, leaving him waiting while I ate. At first it was kinda silly and we laughed it off, but by the third time we were a little on edge. I did enjoy my spicy salmon pressed sushi, but I'm used to getting a much larger portion of a similar dish here in the area for the same price (sushi j). Overall I don't think we'll be stopping in again, we'll stick to our favorite Seattle Izakaya in Belltown, Shinya Shokudo. Sorry!

It's been a while since I've encountered pretty bad service, and I never usually complain about it but If there's only 2 tables, no refills on water, and have to ask twice for our bill, and just as long to just pay. Their sushi chef wasn't here so it's understandable, but I didn't understand how it took almost 30 mins to get our food when there's that many tables... Maybe they only had one chef today too, but I wouldn't make any excuse for servers to be that inattentive. We ordered the udon and the tonkatsu set- it was good, but not something I would come back for, since it's a bit overpriced. The ambience is nice and calm - I love the decorations, but that's about it. Won't be coming back.

Ngl this is one of the best Japanese restaurant I have ever eaten!!! All the ingredients are fresh and the people are nice!! I love their Uni (sea urchins) so much, however i heard the season might be over soon. If you are a beginner I suggest to start with Donburi set, if you love sashimi and is craving some luxury than Luxury Sashimi 9 Slots Jewel Box is the one!!! If you don't eat raw fish then Shrimp Tempura Udon Set + Onsen Egg is the one for you! Remember to order your dessert after the meal! Must try: "Chawanmushi + Ikura" (I'm blown away by the flavorsome truffle mushroom sauce and soft steamed egg custard!!) "Uni Foie Gras Toast" ( love the combo!! too good I'm speechless) Honestly, I love everything from Tanuki! On top of this, great value for money! Will definitely come back again!!

Tanuki Izakaya is at the north end of the commercial portion of the University Way, by NE 55th Street. As an Izakaya, they have a variety of small dishes. But we were opted for their Oshizushi, aka Oshi Sushi, which means pressed sushi; sometimes it's also called Aburi Sushi or torched sushi when they are seared. Oshi Sushi and Aburi Sushi are both from Osaka. Oshi Sushi is in fact one of the oldest forms of sushi. The version that Tanuki makes is very tasty. I find their overall balance to be more enjoyable than others I have had - the fish isn't as thin and the searing isn't as intense (which dries the fish). Along with the seasoning and spicy mayo on top, the composition is a delightful savory sushi above and beyond a normal nigiri. I still find these varieties to have heavier rice than I would like, but this is definitely one of the better versions I have tasted. I honestly don't think everyone will like oshizushi compared to a fancy (Americanized) roll with all sorts of fish and fried and avocado and cream cheese, etc. But I do think it's worth trying. We ordered: - Spicy Tuna Oshizushi - Spicy Salmon Oshizushi Both of these are the same preparation, just different fish. I honestly liked them both. - Hamachi Kama - This piece was incredibly meaty and perfectly grilled. I feel like I should be giving them 5 Stars, but I'm giving them 4. It's probably closer to a 4.5. I'm dinging them some, because the oshizushi rolls are $15 and there really isn't a lot of fish on them. I think the price should be lower.

Fresh fish and beautiful presentation. The steamed egg is a surprise . Hoping that with $50 (after taxes and tips), there could be a little more fish though. But I didn't feel hungry anyways.

Was really excited to try this place out after seeing the pictures and reviews on Yelp and Instagram. Unfortunately my expectations were heavily let down. Many of the items we ordered did not taste fresh and had a funky taste (ie Uni and Shrimp). The prices were ridiculously high for every item and it did not match the taste of the food, the service or ambience that was provided. The unagi sushi was decent but everything else was just meh or not good. I really wanted to like this restaurant because the food is presented really nicely but unfortunately I won't return in the future.

Came here on a sunny Saturday noon around 1pm. No waiting and we immediately sat down and ordered Unagi sushi roll, Chirashi Don set, and Gyudon set. Despite only one server at the time we got our food pretty fast. The sets came with jelly dessert, a miso soup, two fried shrimps, 3 mini octopus, an egg custard, and the main serving bowl. The dons and sushi were very delicious and the ingredients were fresh. Pretty chill place to have a quick but exquisite set of Japanese meal!

Most of the dishes were unique and creative which made the tasting exciting! Staff were friendly and willing to listen to feedback. My personal favorite amongst all of these was the Saba (mackerel) it was super juicy and soft with lots of meat. Not exactly sure if the tea if something you have to order separately or if they just serve it but it was so refreshing and fit perfectly with the dishes. I regret not asking what it was! It definitely had lemons and ginger in it but not sure what else The nigiri set was interesting as it was just a simple nigiri but each one had its own unique kick to it. The most interesting one was the egg as it was not cooked fully like usual. This made it softer but i personally add a piece of mackerel on top and it made the flavor just right!

"Wow" is the best word to describe this restaurant. The dishes here take classic izakaya foods and elevate them with the chef's unique takes. 1. Spicy salmon oshizushi - 5/5 A buttery seared salmon on top of a bed of chewy pressed rice, creating a sensation so soft you barely need to chew. I personally would like it more if the rice was firmer, but I understand the approach here. You can't try pressed sushi everywhere in Seattle, so this is definitely a great place to try it if you've never before! 2. Nigiri - 5/5 We got the sweet shrimp nigiri and scallop nigiri. The sweet shrimp nigiri is a MUST get! If you've only had cooked shrimp nigiri, then you're missing out on a whole new dimension of flavor that this raw sweet shrimp will give you. They also serve the shrimp head deep fried, which I LOVE. The head has an umami taste I crave for in seafood. 3. Skewers - 4.5/5 The chicken wing skewer was amazing! The skin was perfectly crisp and the inside was absolutely juicy and tender. The negima was also decent, but not as tender as the wing. 4. Mentaiko potato - 5/5 The appetizers here are so creative. This dish is essentially shredded potato slices mixed with mentaiko and a spicy mayo sauce. The potato was crunchy and the sauce had a great kick. I've never had a taste like this before and I would highly recommend this appetizer! 5. Wasabi tako - 5/5 Again, very creative appetizer! The raw, crunchy tako was perfect with the spicy wasabi sauce. Under the tako was a bed of shredded daikon that provided a perfect refresher with the tako. I'm coming back for these appetizers! Overall, this creative izakaya will provide you with a unique and authentic experience of Japanese food. I feel like I will be a regular here!

Great Izakaya down the Ave! I didn't take pictures of the inside but it's a very cozy and cute restaurant that quickly filled up after we sat down around 5PM. Food wise they have a great selection of traditional Izakaya food and sushi/sashimi. Our waiter recommended the uni don which was AMAZING for how much fresh uni they give you. Totally enough to share with two people and was ($35). We also tried the chicken karaage, takoyaki, and tako wasa (wasabi octopus) and was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. Overall had a great experience, but was a little on the small portion side. Between two people splitting the bill I paid around $40 with tip which was a little pricey considering I was still hungry when I got home lol..... Definitely give this place a try if you're looking for an elevated Izakaya experience -- there's probably better ones in Seattle but this is a best quality Japanese in the U District area IMO.

Best Izayake in town. I have been to so many Izayake in Seattle and this is definitely my favorite. Fish is selective and very fresh, small dish is creative and also filling, BBQ is very authentic... Will recommend to everyone who wants to experience Japanese food without the hassle of traveling to Japan

Where to start!? Tanuki is an absolute gem in the middle of U-District. Considering U-district establishments are more for university kids that need a quick bite to eat, this restaurant was a true true hidden surprise Everything me and my friends ordered was freaking amazinnggggg. The tako wasa was so good that we had to order more, we almost ordered 3 but contained ourselves haha it comes with bite size pieces of fresh pickled wasabi too, added such a nice kick of spice All of the sushi pieces we got were buttery and melted in your mouth. The only downside I would say was there was too much rice on the nigiri so we ended up splitting the rice in half each time. The uni don, which was the small one, came with a hugeeee serving of uni. So awesome and atypical for restaurants to be so generous with uni. The chawanmushi and potato appetizers that came with the beef udon was incredible I would 10/10 recommend trying this place out and I hope to return as soon as possible

TRUFFLE. UNI. IKURA. CHAWANMUSHI. Do I need to say anything else? I post @tanukiseattle on my Instagram way to often but I can't help it! Food this pretty, this luxurious, deserves attention! And the mastermind behind this beautiful creation chef Dylan deserves a standing ovation If you're looking for a delicious Japanese sushi spot that offers pretty affordable high quality omakase style foods, you need to visit Tanuki ASAP! They are finally reopen for dine in, dinner only with a new higher end menu so make sure to rsvp! They are located up The Ave right next to Snowy Village and brownie points for have parking spots! Treat yourself out once in a while to meals like this because with everything happening in the world, we all deserve a special meal or day off!

Every dish we ordered was amazing, great quality, the sides were fun surprises and so delicious. Service was great, ambiance is cozy and elevated Japanese aesthetic.

Great casual Japanese restaurant! We ordered 4 dons (salmon, eel, gyu, and Katsu) for pick up and the place looked clean and welcoming. Everything looked pretty decent and the gyudon was delicious! The katsu was a bit on the tough side. It's taken us a while to find our new go-to Japanese in our new neighborhood and we're going to come back to try out the other food!

Located at the very north end of the Ave, next to Snowy Village. The staff was friendly and helpful. The food ordered all came out at different times, and I don't mean appetizer vs main course. Our main courses came out at different times. By the time one dish came out the first dish served was already done. Person sat there waiting for the other person to finish. Haven't seen food brought out like that before so it make it slightly weird. It was like going there by yourself and with others. Food was good, thank goodness

The food was overpriced and not that good. Service was pretty bad as well. Overall very disappointing

Tanuki Izakaya is a new-ish spot on the north end of The Ave (University Way NE). It's a small location with a small assortment of tables that seat 2-6 people. Right now, seating is limited and they might only be taking reservations. So make sure to make a reservation online beforehand. This is not what I expected for a restaurant in the U-District -- small menu, high quality, very expensive. All of the dishes were very good, though some were a bit unusual (especially the chawanmushi covered in sauce). The prices rival high-end sushi restaurants -- definitely not a casual date spot (though there's no dress code). For example, other than Sapporo beer and the $12 house sake, 98% of the drink menu is pricy. Think $80-199 per bottle. We ordered: - Seared salmon nigiri - Wasabi crayfish nigiri - Pork belly skewer - Chicken gizzard skewer - Chicken karaage - Chawanmushi - Hojicha Pudding And our total for the two of us was around $70+ before tip. Overall, a fancy date spot in a casual location.

Service was bad. Food was okay. Will not visit again. The servers did not check on us voluntarily during our entire time there. We had to wave them down to take the order, get the check, and take the card. Didn't give us drink menu. Hard to get their attention too as they are either occupied or looking away. Food was overall okay. The uni don was good, uni foie gras toast can use less sauce and more foie gras, negima and chicken wings are alright. Nothing really stood out that warrant us to come visit again. Certainly not with this kind of service.

The best Oyako-don we've had around here! Two reasons why I didn't give five star. Menu variety was kind of limited for one. The other is that unless you're into ama-ebi, I felt like the chirashi was on the pricey end for what you get and the sushi rice was surprisingly warm.... I would recommend the warm menu, but not the cold menu based on the sushi rice.

Simply overpriced for their foods. It's good that they open relatively late comparing to others.

We had quite a disappointing experience here on a Friday night. We had visited over a year ago and had liked this place so much we returned for a birthday, but were extremely underwhelmed. The service was average at best, we asked for soy sauce and didn't even get bowls for it, and ended up using plastic cups they used to bring out ginger in. There were only 3 other parties, at some point we were the only ones there, making the ambiance a bit weird considering it was 7:30 on a Friday night. We also had to get up to ask for the check. The worst part was the food didn't feel at all fresh, we got the fried soft shell crab and that was good , but the baby octopus was not as good and felt like it came out of a can. We ordered the jewel box, which we had remembered fondly, the sashimi felt chewy and nothing in the box felt fresh. We left thinking we would be lucky if we didn't end up with a stomachache (or worse) after spending $100+ on this meal for two.

Came across this restaurant on a food delivery app and felt compelled to order. I was surprised when checking out their menu, they offer some regular Japanese food items but also some unique items that I haven't seen in Seattle. I was so impressed with the freshness and high quality of the food that I found myself going on their website to learn more. Found out that they just had a grand opening a month ago and the chef has a lot of experience under his belt, having worked at 3 top Michelin restaurants in NYC and is also the executive chef of Minamoto. On to the food that we ordered. We got the Kani Salad which contains imitation crab that's sliced thinly, served with japanese cucumber, lightly tossed in spicy mayo sauce and topped with a ton of tempura crumbs. The freshness of the cucumber balances nicely with the fried crumbs, light meat of the imitation crab and the creamy sauce. The restaurant is running a promo currently for orders with a minimum of $30, you get a free Mentaiko Patato. At a first glance it looks like noodles, but it's all potato. They julienned the potato into thin strips, sauteed them, and then tossed them in a mentaiko sauce that is creamy that has a good kick of spiciness. It's simple yet unique and delicious. Love it! Right now they also have a seasonal menu item of Uni Don (rice bowl). Both my husband and I aren't typically a big fan of plain uni at most restaurants. But when we saw this on the menu and the photo, we just felt intrigued to try it out. To our surprise, the uni was honestly fantastic and surpassed our expectation! Each piece was so fresh with the perfect creamy texture with a slightly ocean taste; you can tell they also add a freshly squeezed yuzu as well to help with the taste. The uni is just buttery and completely melts in your mouth. Take a spoonful of a bite of the uni with the perfectly cooked sushi rice and topped it with a little bit of wasabi, salmon roe and a slice of the purple daikon radish slice. What an incredible food. We like everything we ordered so much and this won't be the last time we order from here. We are so excited and will keep an eye on this restaurant for their rotating unique menu items. I definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a quality Japanese cuisine that's fresh and authentic.

6.88 rating on a 1 to 10 scale. A 1-5 scale is designed to be useless. Safety: 9, Cleanliness: 8, Food Art: 7, Food Quality: 7, Taste: 6.5, Decor: 7, Selection: 7, Menu: 4, Price 4.5, Emotional Maturity: 7, Employees: 4,  Bathroom: 8, Tip Policy: 10, Happy Tummy four hours later: 7. This is a restaurant on the University District "Ave", and usually places are lower priced, unclean, buggy and dumpy.  So even though Tanooki is priced significantly higher, I do appreciate a place I feel comfortable in.  Music was a bit loud for my tastes because the space has zero sound absorption and it echos everywhere.  Some vertical fabric curtains hanging from the ceiling would solve this.  Wood wall boards are pleasing to the eye and reduce sound. This isn't an over the top quality restaurant in seafood, however $53 per person, seems steep and if they lowered the price the place would be full always. Blond lady waitress, not present, no presentation style, or any style, we were the only people in the restaurant & she kept telling us where to sit, finally I just sat down at the table I wanted, so why is she trying to fight us already?.  Table for 4 was set for 2 and she brought an extra glass and hashi, however she doesn't put them in front of me, they are diagonal and I have to reach for everything to set my own place while she disappears.   Honestly, people go out to a restaurant for food and to feel good, and why should a barely present or capable waitress expect $30 for just walking 20' while having zero presentation skills???  Why should they get extra money at all???  The chef did all the work.  Never even refilled water.  Honestly I don't need waitstaff to sing and dance, however when you are the only people in the restaurant, perhaps set the table properly?????? Japanese guy waiter, excellent.  Present, punctual, actually saw a low water glass and refilled without asking.  However no one asked us if we wanted desert, they just brought the bill. It seems this restaurant has an ongoing problem getting quality waitstaff. Order: SeaVeggie Salad $6.50, excellent quantity for the price, thank you. Toro Uni Mini Don $30, thought this was overpriced, yet filling & clean tasting. Negima $4.50, chicken thigh with sauce, very good. 2 skewers. Takoyaki $7, nice presentation with bonito shavings galore, tasty. Sake Nigiri $8/2, torched on top, tasty. Kani Salad $7, very nice. Tiger prawns $18, very well done, shell half off, crunchy. Rice $2, fair price Tanuki rice $4, very good Saba $13, excellent as usual Sunagimo $4.50, hard as the Devil's shoes, chicken gizzards. 2 skewers. Amaebi $6.50/2, torched, head in tempura batter, tasty. Hojicha Pudding $5, bland, small. Sapporo beer is unfortunately from an aluminum can. Tap water smells strongly of chlorine, at least purify it. What did I like:  presentation was cute+.  Food delivered fast, only 3 of us in the entire restaurant though. What I wish for:  menu with pictures, better waitstaff, higher quality food for the pricing or lower pricing.

Not sure why there are so many negative reviews about the front store waiter. When I dine in, Nothing was wrong with the server services. I get my water refill and even a quick presentation about each beautiful entrée courses. I went on a Saturday night 10pm, it was busy and lucky we took the last available table. Every dishes was prepare thoughtfully and well executed. Most importantly, I Like to address about the prices. It's slightly in the higher end if you were to compare all the restaurants in the University way. However, you truly get the top quality seafood of what you paid for. Reviewers complaining about the price point aren't understanding how restaurants have to go thur to prepare fresh ingredients at the same time beating the horrible inflation. This place is perfect for group gathering and for special occasions like when you ace your tough exams!! I highly recommend this place.

Overall, food is 3.5/5 for me and rounded up to 4/5 as service was quick; servers were attentive. Saw beautiful photos of this location and was looking forward to try this location. I like how the tables were separated by a glass wall. The menu was smaller than I expected and didn't have some of the items I saw through yelp and google images, such as the salmon don. I got the skewers: chicken gizzard, chicken heart, chicken thigh with scallion, pork belly, and chicken wings, chicken karaage, and spicy tuna oshizushi. My friends ordered Spicy Salmon Oshizushi and Mentaiko potato. The potato mixed with mentaiko and a spicy mayo sauce was great. The spicy slamon melts in my mouth and super creamy which I love. The chicken karaage was okay for me the batter could be slightly thick with the chicken more seasoned. My favorite skewer was the chicken wings with great flavor. The chicken heart was a little gamy and gizzard was too salty.

the gyu don and the chicken skewers are my go to's when coming here. every time i come here it hasn't been packed at all, so we're sat down very quickly. i'm so sad to see that they're temporarily closed, i hope they reopen again soon.

A new Japanese restaurant at the U District just opened! I've tried a few of their items on their menu and my favorites are their Takoyaki, Chirashi Bowl, Chicken Skin Skewer, and the Glizzard Skewer. I've had a lot of Chirashi before and I can 100% guarantee this place has the freshest slices of sashimi in there. It's the highest quality I've had at a reasonable price point so I recommend this one if you're craving for a Chirashi bowl. We also tried their Yuzu Lemon Tea drink and that was refreshing and delicious too. I definitely recommend checking this place out at least once!

Yeah one of the most expensive yet least tasteful Japanese cuisine in town. I have 2 groups of friends recommending, the first group gave up at the last min, and the last group tested the water, they regretted . Xiao Hong shu (the Chinese fake review all) is to blame