Umi Sake House

"Orchestrating a sushi dinner for a celebration can be tricky if you don’t know how much money everyone wants to spend—especially if your friends bring you gifts even when you say “no gifts,” because societal norms are confusing. Choose a middle-of-the-road spot with positive energy and good raw fish, like Umi Sake House in Belltown. The massive, tropical plant-decked dining room has plenty of space for groups to spread out, a semi-private tatami room that isn’t too difficult to book, and great sushi. Fill the table with everything from simply prepped nigiri to extravagant, sharable rolls involving things like pickled eggplant and torched spicy snow crab or shrimp tempura and ghost pepper aioli." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente

"Umi Sake House is an ideal spot to celebrate something on a Monday. This Belltown sushi spot feels like a bamboo garden crossed with a lounge, and it’s perfect for a date powered by salmon nigiri samplers and rolls filled with things like seared snow crab, spicy yellowtail, and jalapeño citrus truffle oil. Maybe the best part about Umi Sake House is that it’s easy to book a reservation for a big group, especially the night before. There’s even a good chance your party will get to be in the private tatami room, where you can sit on comfy cushions and eat your sushi far away from the noise of the rest of the restaurant." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente

"This late-night Belltown destination for sushi, sake, and Japanese whisky offers an impressive list of nigiri and sushi rolls that includes traditional Japanese versions as well as creative American-style specialty rolls like the Dragonfly, made with tempura shrimp, yellowtail, grilled shishito peppers, and ghost pepper aioli. Omakase (starting at $50 per person) is also an option." - Harry Cheadle

"Contrary to popular belief, finding a good gluten-free sushi spot is not always easy, but Umi Sake House in Belltown does the trick. This late-night Belltown destination for sushi, sake, and Japanese whisky offers an impressive list of nigiri and sushi rolls — which include traditional Japanese versions as well as creative American-style specialty rolls like the Dragonfly, made with tempura shrimp, yellowtail, grilled shishito peppers and ghost pepper aioli. Omakase, starting at $50 per person, is also an option. The restaurant also offers more than 60 imported sake options." - Eater Staff

"Capacity: 8 Umi Sake House feels like a bamboo garden crossed with a lounge, and it’s perfect for a group dinner powered by salmon nigiri samplers and rolls filled with things like seared snow crab, spicy yellowtail, and jalapeño citrus truffle oil. Inside the semi-private tatami room, you can sit on comfy cushions and eat your sushi far away from the noise of the rest of the restaurant." - aimee rizzo