Hidden gem in Seattle's International District, Onibaba serves cozy Japanese comfort with a standout menu of richly filled onigiri, broth-soaked ochazuke, and savory gyoza.
"This very special Japanese restaurant in the ID specializes in onigiri, and with ties to the late Tsukushinbo, it’s not surprising that this place rules. The long list of fillings covers a lot of ground, like marinated egg, shrimp tempura with honey-laced mayo, and spicy cod roe. And sure, the rice parcels are so good that you could end up perfectly happy by flipping a coin to decide your order. But don’t leave it all to chance—the yaki onigiri is non-negotiable, whether grilled in sweet soy sauce until crackly and topped with a pat of melted butter or covered in torched cheese. Don't forget some textbook pan-seared gyoza, brothy salmon and roe ochazuke, and silky curry udon noodles." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Onibaba specializes in onigiri, and it's terrific. The long list of fillings covers a lot of ground, like marinated egg, shrimp tempura with honey-laced mayo, and spicy cod roe. These rice parcels are so good that you could end up perfectly happy by flipping a coin to decide your order, but don’t leave it all to chance—the yaki onigiri is non-negotiable, whether grilled in sweet soy sauce until crackly and topped with a pat of butter or covered in gooey torched cheese. Schedule a long "meeting" on your calendar and have a special solo lunch." - aimee rizzo, carlo mantuano, kayla sager riley
"Rice is the centerpiece of Onibaba, run by the former Tsukushinbo team in the space where the old restaurant used to be. Onigiri, a popular convenience store snack food in Japan, gets a luxurious treatment here: The rice balls are made with high quality rice and seaweed wrapping, stuffed generously with a variety of fillings. (Salty salmon and sour plum are especially popular.) Also central to the menu is ochazuke, a traditional Japanese dish made by pouring tea over white rice, akin to porridge. Instead of tea, Onibaba’s ochazuke includes a pour of delicate dashi broth, with toppings like unagi (grilled eel) over a grilled rice ball. The menu also has an assortment of Tsukushinbo’s classic and comforting rice bowls like katsu or pork belly with onions." - Jay Friedman
"Rice is the centerpiece of Onibaba, run by the former Tsukushinbo team in the space where the old restaurant used to be. Onigiri, a popular convenience store snack food in Japan, gets a luxurious treatment here: The rice balls are made with high-quality rice and seaweed wrapping, stuffed generously with a variety of fillings. (Salty salmon and sour plum are especially popular.) Also central to the menu is ochazuke, a traditional Japanese dish made by pouring tea over white rice, akin to porridge. Instead of tea, Onibaba’s ochazuke includes a pour of delicate dashi broth, with toppings like unagi (grilled eel) over a grilled rice ball. The menu also has an assortment of Tsukushinbo’s classic and comforting rice bowls like katsu or pork belly with onions." - Jay Friedman, Eater Staff
"This summer for me was defined by two things: the excessive heat that radiated in my studio apartment like a yoga class, and outstanding delivery from Tsukushinbo. Their excellent sushi was there for me in a pinch—like buttery king salmon, toro nigiri, and chili sauce-spiked spicy tuna rolls coated in perfectly crisp tempura flakes. All the wonderful fish made my cat extremely jealous, but he deserves it for always hogging the fan. -AR" - carlo mantuano, aimee rizzo
