Wabi-Sabi Sushi Bar & Restaurant

Wow. We’ve lived in Columbia City for two years now and we cannot believe we’ve never visited before! Wabi-Sabi is incredible. Beautiful establishment with kind and attentive staff. There was no wait time for our window table. We ordered potatoe croquettes, a bento box, a special role, and sashimi. The quality of the food is top notch and we fell in love with their miso and even got complementary miso!!! It is very dangerous that this place is only two blocks from our apartment. We’ve found our favorite restaurant on this stretch of Rainier. 🫶🏼

The food tasted amazing, and the atmosphere was very warm and welcoming. There were candles and flowers, which added a nice touch to the whole environment.

Warm, friendly atmosphere and great service. Im not a sushi eater. I had tempura and edamame, which were good, but acknowledge those are hard to mess up. My partner had sushi and thought it was average. Fine but not super fresh. Beautiful presentation though. I'll come back, for sure. More for the joy of hanging out than the amazing food, but yeah the food was fine too.

Whenever we are in Seattle, we stop by this cute sushi spot before heading out to the airport! If you haven’t met the sushi chef, you must. He educates you on the different fish they serve, where they come from, and overall he’s such a fun guy to talk to! The quality of the fish is amazing, so I highly recommend ordering their sashimi - it will not disappoint.

They have gluten free options and gkuten free soy sauce! Adorable spot, delicious food, efficient, reasonably priced, and excellent service! Khoa was a top-notch server. Having worked in the industry, I could tell she was busy (just her on the floor), but I wouldn't have known it from her kind and efficient service. Definitely recommend this spot and will be back.

First time here. Nice fresh surprise. Still processing but I've added some photos

Great food in a chill atmosphere & nice decoration. Price is reasonable. The staff is wonderful & caring. We will definitely come back to try other dishes.

Sorry Mom. Listen, I love the woman who gave me life. She is a saint, a wonderful listener, and a fantastic retired librarian. But after eating at Wabi Sabi, I have to face a harsh reality: my mother has absolutely no business near a bamboo rolling mat. While my mom insists that "sticky rice" is just Uncle Ben’s boiled until it turns into industrial-strength paste, this restaurant serves grains that actually maintain their individual integrity. The spicy tuna here was fresh, vibrant, and melted in my mouth. In contrast, my mom’s version is usually canned Starkist mixed with ketchup and a prayer. Here, the seaweed is crisp and delicate; at home, it has the texture of a wet raincoat that’s been left in a hot car. The rolls at Wabi Sabi are structural marvels, whereas my mom’s creations usually look like they were dropped from a second-story window before hitting the plate. I didn't even have to pretend to enjoy it to avoid hurting the chef's feelings! If you want sushi that doesn't taste like parental disappointment and culinary confusion, book a table immediately.

Wabi Sabi is our go-to spot for sushi when we're in Columbia City. We usually stop in for happy hour: 3:30-5:30 PM, which offers a small discount on select menu items -- a great excuse to try a few extra rolls. They also provide complimentary miso soup, which is such a nice touch and the perfect way to start the meal. We typically order 4-5 different rolls and share, and everything is always fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. It's fun to mix and match and try something new each visit. The service is consistently good -- friendly, attentive, and efficient. We always leave happy and looking forward to the next time!

Food was pretty good. Service was excellent. My nephew eats here all the time so he ordered the chef's special...and there were quite a few and each one was wonderful! Great staff! So friendly! Thank you!

Food is always great. We are regulars here. Know the servers by name. Tonight we had salmon tataki salad,, spicy tuna roll, sake nigiri and tempura. I also enjoy the cocktails. Yuzu me in particular. Their lychee martini is fancy . Good food, great relaxing jazz music in the background Friday night treat for the family. Having some green tea ice cream for dessert now....

As Seward Park locals we have been coming to Wabi Sabi for a couple if years now, and Kwai and her team never disappoint !! Superb cuisine and customer service, and a wonderful ambience in the restaurant. Highly recommend !!

Cute place with friendly staff, good food, and okay drinks for the price. Would have liked a crispier yakisoba and better quality sushi rice, but still very tasty. Including an updated in restaurant menu for the lack of it here:

We had delicious sushi here! Very flavorful and big pieces that held together well. The service was amazing - Brandon was welcoming, funny, and had great recommendations. There was always someone making sure you're having a good time! Great place to go for a night out with family, friends, or a date night :)

Sushi is fresh and decently priced, my favorites are creamy scallop handroll, amaebi sashimi, and salmon tataki salad. The vibe is very intimate, it is nice for date night. All staff are attentive and nice.

Long overdue review. Been coming here since they opened in the neighborhood and always have a good experience. Sushi is fresh and the staff makes you feel so welcome. Great for dinners with the family. (The servers were so accommodating of my elderly mother.) Try the specialty rolls. You won't be disappointed.

Fun atmosphere and great kids bento platter even on a busy night. Lots of unique versions of classic dishes

This is our favorite restaurant-- tasty food and good and quick service! We love their cucumber salad, dumplings, yam fries, and sushi!

Update 2025: the owner reached out about my old negative review and I will say, they have much improved indeed here. Fish is higher quality and general menu has a lot to offer - we now order here quite regularly. Thank you for putting in the effort to improve for Columbia city and offer this neighborhood some quality sushi!

Joe does it again! And Qua is the best head of house. So kind and personable. We are so lucky to have Wabi Sabi as our neighborhood sushi restaurant.

5 stars -- A Columbia City favorite. Wabi Sabi is such a gem. The sushi is always fresh, beautifully put together, and the staff couldn't be nicer. It's got that relaxed, neighborhood feel that makes it an easy go-to for dinner -- whether you're sitting at the bar or grabbing takeout. The quality is consistently great, and it's one of those places that just makes you happy to have something this good close to home.

Really enjoy Wabi Sabi! Have been here a number of times and they have a good daily happy hour which now is from 3:00-5:30pm including on the weekends! Some standouts are the takoyaki- always a hit, the spicy garlic Korean tofu, and the spicy tuna tempura roll! Nice and peaceful atmosphere with kind and attentive service.

Best Japanese Restaurant in Seattle! As a family we love to come here at least one a month to enjoy the delicious food, excellent service (Khoa is the best!) and great ambience. Tokyo and Sake bento boxes are our favorites! We highly recommend this place if you want traditional Japanese food, 10/10.

Love this place, call me a regular I've been there 5x in a matter of a month, the food is delicious! I love to order my salmon tartar hands down my favorite and their mango margarita with sugar rim! The staff is so friendly I usually sit at the sushi counter so I can watch. The service is friendly and fast, so if you're on a lunch break perfect place to go! Super inviting, it's right in the heart of Columbia city, you can find parking in the nearby neighborhoods. I've had several Different dishes here and I love it all! I'll be adding pictures later bc unfortunately though I posted on my social media I didn't save it. The ambiance super quaint a perfect for a special date or even party! They have plenty of room in their dinning or you can be like me and sit at the bar

Great restaurant! Very good food and service. Love the cozy decorations and music here.

The place was super cute in a downtown neighborhood. We were seated promptly. We ordered edamame as an appetizer and it was very bland and a couple of pieces tasted old/bad. We ordered 2 sushi rolls. The spider roll and an Anaconda roll. They were good but were lacking a little bit in flavor. Overall it was good but we have definitely had better

The food is excellent. The ambience is perfect are kind and helpful. I place and come here often.

First the service was prompt and friendly. The food was quick and delicious. With the exposed brick and intuitive layout adding to the experience. If I am ever in Columbia city again I would comeback

We love coming here every Friday for sushi night. Love the sushi here! service is quick and friendly as well

Love this place! And my 10yo loves it too. We live in the neighborhood and it's our favorite special treat night. The food is delicious and the servers are very sweet and kind. Especially fun to sit by the window as well as at the bar where you can watch the masters work .

food, good. service, slow. ambiance, nice. Hudson roll, would recommend. bad attitude, yummy

The food and service is great we love to come here to eat before 5:30 for there happy hour

Lovely atmosphere, great service, and the sushi is delicious! One of our favorite restaurants:)

The sushi chefs are flexible and knowledgeable. They even offered us a dessert on the house. Located in Columbia City, easy to park and delicious.

Came here for the happy hour and didn't regret a thing! Would recommend stopping by and trying their yuzume drink!

Great service and an awesome happy hour menu. Definitely recommend for anyone visiting Columbia City!

Food was great and it's super family friendly! It's clean and the sushi bar is great viewing. It's one of our favorites and service was quick and friendly.

This is our go to sushi spot. We eat here at least 3 times a month. The waiters and waitresses know us well, and are always so kind. My daughter loves the kids sushi bento. Salmon skin roll is amazing. Maguro! Yummy!

Very impressive for a local neighborhood restaurant. Great food and service! Definitely come back again.

Came in for happy hour, the service was SO fast and servers were very kind. Food was delicious. Excellent happy hour. The restaurant also is very cute with nice ambiance and good art.

They have great food and service. We've been coming here as a family for years! We love the food, chefs and servers!

Fabulous! My son and I love this place - truly our favorite in Seattle. Food is great every time. Service is super friendly and prompt. Sushi chefs are real pros and seem to enjoy their work. Sit at the counter and just watch. My wife and I have been coming here for maybe 20 years now and have been here maybe 80+ times. It's always a treat.

Go to spot for sushi on the SE side. Always a table here and staft is great. Laid back vibe. Get the boat of sashimi and/ or collar from the kitchen. Service can be slow but its worth it

The food is always delicious! The service is excellent always surprising me with new items to try! I love the relaxed atmosphere! Servers and sushi chefs are friendly and very professional always checking in their guests! Love it when Brandon comes over to check on me as well!

The sushi here is fire. Every time I come back it gets better my favorite was the salmon skin roll. South end Staple

We love this place! The service is great and all of their fish is delicious. Great happy hour too!

Sorry mom Listen, I love the woman who gave me life. She is a saint, a wonderful listener, and a fantastic retired librarian. But after eating at Wabi Sabi, I have to face a harsh reality: my mother has absolutely no business near a bamboo rolling mat. While my mom insists that "sticky rice" is just Uncle Ben's boiled until it turns into industrial-strength paste, this restaurant serves grains that actually maintain their individual integrity. The spicy tuna here was fresh, vibrant, and melted in my mouth. In contrast, my mom's version is usually canned Starkist mixed with ketchup and a prayer. Here, the seaweed is crisp and delicate; at home, it has the texture of a wet raincoat that's been left in a hot car. The rolls at Wabi Sabi are structural marvels, whereas my mom's creations usually look like they were dropped from a second-story window before hitting the plate. I didn't even have to pretend to enjoy it to avoid hurting the chef's feelings! If you want sushi that doesn't taste like parental disappointment and culinary confusion, book a table immediately.

The service was very attentive, and the food was great! We were offered complimentary miso soups while we waited for the rest of our party to arrive, which was a lovely touch. A wonderful experience all around!

This is a go to spot for me and my friends and we always get the best service. The food is incredible and we always leave happy and satisfied. The ambiance and atmosphere is always a great vibe.

Love the sushi here. One of our go-to's for a Japanese dinner. The fish is great quality.

This was amazing!! Food came out fast, service wad awesome, and it tasted fantastic!! Would def reccomend!!!! 11/10!

loved the service, food and atmosphere here. Always treated with such kindness even got a free dish today!

the food was good especially the Hudson roll. the service was a little slow and forgot some things but it's ok. the ambiance was nice and the decor was pretty.

Tasty fresh food, pleasant ambience, great service. Bad Attitude roll has great texture. We'll be back!

Amazing sushi! very convenient and in the area, the vibes are calm and chill! sushi always on point, their spider roll is the best as well as the salmon sashimi! love the customer service! they always remember us!

We have been to this restaurant over 20 times and it has never disappointed us. Everything we try is quality and fresh. Their happy hour from 3-5:30 allots for people to try new menu items without costing an arm and a leg. We have literally had everything on the happy hour menu at one time or another and all are fantastic. The customer service is impeccable and the staff have been there for a long time (a couple of years, which is incredible retention for food service industry), so it's easy to build relationships and rapport. They are friendly, welcoming and good at what they do. The chefs attention to details each time a dish comes out is worthy of mention. I can't speak highly enough about this restaurant. Definitely try it!!

This place...just incredible. I have gone here for years, and I have nothing but good things to say about it! The staff are amazing, and every time I go, they know exactly what I want to have. The miso soup is delicious, far better than the stale packets many stores have, and the seafood is all fresh caught here in Washington! They have a counter were you can sit and watch them make your food-which is something many sushi places have, but for me just adds something cozy to the place because you can talk to them during it and they are great conversationalists! I usually get the California roll- but without sesame- and sometimes just a side of Ikura (salmon roe)and the nice thing is they'll do it even though it isn't on the menu! It's very accommodating, and if you go there, get a bar seat; trust me, you won't regret it-and talk to them! Definitely my favorite restaurant in Seattle to go to!