Shibumi Izakaya
1222 E Pine St, Seattle, WA, 98122
Shibumi Izakaya Menu
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Address :
1222 E Pine St
Seattle, WA, 98122 - Phone (206) 397-4552
- Website https://www.shibumiseattle.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Glenn P.
This is a very authentic Japanese tapas restaurant. Unfortunately, the prices are quite high, as you will usually want 2 or 3 different items to try / share, plus drinks, will easily bring your bill over $60 per person. Because of this, I only tried a couple items, and they were tasty, and cooked perfectly, but just too overpriced. I'll have to go back and try the Ramen. I'm secretly hoping they will adjust their prices for the neighborhood they are in.
(3)Larry K.
I have been traveling to Seattle for business on a regular basis. Walking through Capital Hill I noticed a small plates style and Ramen Japanese restaurant and decided to give it a try. I have had the good fortune of experiencing Izakaya style in Japan and was intrigued by what appeared to be an American chef preparing authentic Japanese cuisine. The meal which consisted of several courses and am amazing desert was the best I have experienced throughout my travels. Start with a small plate of the chef's daily creation add the daily Ramen special and leave room for dessert, a must have.
(5)Celeste T.
I went back here recently with a large group (we were 6), and it turns out they've changed the menu a lot - leaning more heavily toward the food the chef loves, such as high-quality veggies, top sashimi and special preparations of Wagyu beef. Even with 6 of us eating, we may have over ordered because everything sounded amazing. I had a cold tofu appetizer, in a sweet broth with scallions and ginger. I also had chirashizushi and a burdock/carrot/sesame dish to myself. Everything was amazing and fresh. Even the broccoli garnish on one of the plates was salted well and beautifully al dente - I ate it all - and it was the garnish! The waiter was super helpful, and whenever he didn't know an answer, he checked in with the kitchen and made sure to give us a reply or update. The chef made sure to come out and say hi, and share the specials with us - he even brought out a side of the Wagyu beef to show us the marbling. When we asked about some things that we'd had before (the amazing shitake mushrooms that might be called doku? I'm sure I'm misremembering the name...) he offered to prepare us a special salad using those shitakes and some amazing fresh crisp persian cukes...which of course, we took him up on! And it was delish. The dining room is still beautiful, and they have a great selection of cocktails. Their sake list seems to have gotten even better, as well.
(5)Ken M.
I came here for the wagyu omakase dinner. It was absolutely amazing. The steak melted in my mouth. It was phenomenal experience. This wagyu is from Japan and has newly been added to the menu. Hands down, it may be the best steak I had in my life. If you haven't tried wagyu beef, you need to try it out! Chef Eric is an amazing cook. He is always creating the most authentic Japanese food. If you like the California rolls that are drenched in sriracha sauce, mayo, and unagi sauce this is not the place for you. It's expensive but this is because it is about quality at it's finest craft.
(5)Jonelle T.
Small on portion size, but big on taste. We shared the miso black cod, octopus salad, and pork wrapped in tofu curd tonight. Like the beautifully appointed restaurant decor, each dish was plated beautifully, and tasted great, but the tiny portion sizes was a huge downer. I felt like I was searching for slices of octopus between thinly sliced cucumber and radish slices. Sashimi sounded good, but $14-$32 for 5 slices seemed steep and we couldn't bring ourselves to pull the trigger.
(3)Lauree C.
We so fondly remembered our last Shibumi experience but now I am falling in line with a lot of other opinions on here: overpriced and middle of the road. We brought some friends here on a Friday night, had no problem getting a reservation and it was never all that busy but it took awhile for our server to check in with us and for the food to arrive. Also, we couldn't help but notice that it seems a lot stuffier than it used to which may not fly well on capitol hill. The dishes themselves were quite nice, the broiled cod stood out as a winner. We also had the ramen "special" which was a mixed seafood bowl and they gave you a lot of seafood in it although the broth seemed to taste only of melted butter (don't get me wrong butter tastes great). Here's the thing. When your only other Ramen dishes are $18 and your higher end dishes are $30 you should probably mention that your special is.......$38?!?! I understand it was seafood and a lot of it but when you read out the specials and the price discrepancy is that big (as in DOUBLE)...well common sense here. I will happily pay for good food but letting the customer know what they are getting into is important.
(3)Trung L.
I was skeptical to give this place a try, because I've heard mixed reviews from my friends about it. But now that I've gone for myself, I am glad I didn't let other people's opinion wane me from coming here. Everything from the service, decor, cleanliness, and of course the food was all a 5-Star Experience for me. Started out with the squid as an appetizer, it was cooked nicely where it wasnt rubbery eating it. The sauce that it was covered in was also very good. Good appetizer to start off. I ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen for my main dish. Pork soup, kurobuta belly, bamboo shoots, scallions + Soft boiled egg (extra). Now I can see why this dish is $16, and it was worth it. The pork soup broth was rich and full of flavor, noodles was good. But the one main ingredient that I thought made the dish was the Pork Belly, juicy pork pieces that was soft and tender on the inside but each piece was nicely glazed on the outside giving it the nice fried texture. My only gripe about this yummy bowl and Ramen was my extra soft Boiled egg, it was cold. Now if it was warm or the same temp as the broth, then it would have been one outstanding bowl. But other than that, the Ramen is a must get. The sous chef brought me a matcha Green tea ice cream with a Cookie on the side to try (complimentary) Good Housemade ice-cream and cookies. Head chef Eric even invited me into the kitchen to show me how he prepares the broth, which I thought was a nice gesture from him. I will definitely be coming back in the near future.
(5)Christine V.
Quite possibly the best and freshest sashimi you could find that is prepared in ways that I've only experienced in Japan. I absolutely love this place! The food is fantastic and the unique cocktails compliment them perfectly on any given day. I came here once for regular dinner with my friends and the second time was for a food event by Eat in Seattle founder, Charles Koh. The dishes served that night was one of the best sushi meals I've ever had here in the states. Everything just had the most perfect flavor and was so 'melt in your mouth' delicious! The only downside is that it's pricy and that just means the I couldn't eat here as regularly as I would like. I talk about this place to my friends all the time and hope that they will make their way over there to try Chef Eric's one of a kind sushi experience. Ps. Yay to being the 80th review
(5)Katy H.
Stunning. You know you've eaten somewhere remarkable when you can't decide whether it's more important to talk about service, decor, or the food. Walking into this small restaurant my first impression was that it's gorgeous. While not all of the furnishings are necessarily traditional in a Japanese style sense, the theme is traditional. Clean lines, flat colors, woods, metals, and simple yet elegant fixtures. The chairs have a mid-cen-mod vibe to them, the ramen/sushi bar is sleek and modern, and the light fixtures are insane. Insane because they're simple yet beautiful. And when I say simple, I mean they're made of cardboard! But beautiful because as you look around the room you notice that from each space (main dining room, ramen bar, cocktail bar) the lamps change in shape and size, but not material. In fact, the main center lamp is so large it could kill a family if it fell from the ceiling. It's quite literally the largest, and coolest drum shade I've ever seen. But so what, right? You might be reading this thinking - I don't eat lamps, I eat food! But for me it's these attention to details you notice before you eat the food that help set the expectations for the meal. If something as simple as a light fixture can blow your mind if you happen to look up and notice it, then imagine the amount of thought and care and creativity that goes into the food. The same can be said for the dishes, the flatware, and the cute river rocks that are used as chopstick holders. Skipping ahead, I ordered the chef's choice 5 course meal. This included 2 starters, a main, an udon soup, and a dessert. My boyfriend ordered the same thing and we were impressed that the chef made separate dishes for some courses to allow us to swap and try new things, and the same dishes for plates he knew we'd absolutely need to eat all of. And he was right! We scarfed everything down, shared food, and also drank great shÅchÅ«. The suggestions of the server were spot on and the shÅchÅ«s we chose were perfect for our meals. What's more is that the entire bill was less than $100 for two people. We were FLOORED! This is a fantastic deal for a first date or someone looking to impress without breaking the bank. For the same quality food and ambience you can eat elsewhere and easily spend $160-200 for two people. Speaking of which, sushi is new at this restaurant and it's great. I had sashimi that included fatty tuna, salmon, geoduck, octopus, scallop, flounder, and one other fish that I can't recall. Everything was fresh, buttery and tasty. The udon with house made noodles was also exceptional and the black cod dish was the highlight of the night. I'll have to go back for more dishes and try the ramen next time. In our nearly 2 hour dinner we noticed a lot of people who appeared to be regulars and friends of the chef/owner. This was a great sign! Very family friendly, very local in feel, and very warm and inviting. Super romantic and cute for a date but also large enough for friends to socialize at the bar or dine in groups of about 4. Highly recommend!
(5)Chessie S.
The meal was fresh and well-plated. The texture and flavor combinations of soft marinated leek and crunchy cucumber was just the right balance for my palate. The portions were just right for us, because we were able try a few items and not feel stuffed like a burrito bar or teriyaki joint. The place has jazz music, an Industrial/Soft Modern Ambiance and lots of French wine and sake.
(4)Heidi M.
When looking for a later night meal, a friend and I stopped here for sushi based on good Yelp reviews and good word of mouth. The ambiance is nice, and (as they were empty) the waiter was quick to seat us and take our order. I started tallying up all the things I wanted to try from their menu. I love sushi and have been known to ... overdo it sometimes. I ended up with wagyu sashimi, salmon nigiri, and a sake roll. I'd ordered more but it never made it to the table. When I asked about my missing items, I got a "kitchen's closed" kind of response. The wagyu (beef) sashimi was cooked (braised?) which was kind of odd. It tasted OK but I was expecting raw, as that's the way I've had it in every other restaurant where I've ordered it. I wouldn't have ordered it if it'd been clear it was going to be cooked. My nigiri was AWFUL. So rubbery and chewy that I worried that I would gag on the piece trying to chew and swallow it. It was obvious by the expression on my face -- my friend noticed and asked me if I was OK. Sure. I'm OK. Just choking on this unchewable piece of fish! After that, I was kind of glad the rest of my order didn't arrive. My sake roll was fine, but nothing special. When we got the bill, it struck me just what a terrible value this place was for the quality of the food we received. If this had been some strip mall $5 roll place, fine, but our bill came to over $50/each for just a couple of items. I would not dine here again.
(1)Kay C.
The restaurant was nice (though a bit cold by the window) - but I guess it should have been a bad sign when it was quite empty on a Friday night. The food - unfortunately was so so and coupled with the fact that it was quite expensive, just didn't seem worth it. Tried several things - the miso broiled salmon belly was very bland, no miso flavor. The salmon itself was nice though. The wagyu nigiri was tasty but almost too fatty and veiny so you have to literally stuff the whole bite in your mouth. We tried the special seafood ramen - I don't usually have seafood ramen so I can't necessarily compare the flavors, but the seafood was quite fresh (and had loots of dungeness crab) but the broth was more salty than any other flavor. But ... I would say this was the most flavorful dish of the night. I did like the sake that was recommended (shining prince I believe) and the cocktails were alright. All in all sadly, with many Japanese options in Seattle - I prob wouldn't return to this place.
(2)Nick C.
I came here for a party thrown by a friend of the owner's. Having explored the menu in advance, I walked up to the bar already knowing what I wanted. It took the bartender a couple of minutes to stop drying glasses and ask what I'd like. I ordered the tonkatsu ramen ($16, wtf) and a beer. He took my order and sent me on my way. Several minutes later, he came by to tell me that they weren't serving tonkatsu ramen that night. I ordered a different dish and, after trying to put it in the system, he reported that they weren't serving this one either. I asked what they WERE serving, and he gave me the wrong--regular--menu. He then had to go check with another bartender for a menu that reflected the "special" (read: overpriced) food they were actually making that night. I ended up ordering a $14 soup that it took both bartenders 3+ minutes to get into the system, consisted mostly of clear, flavorless broth, and left me hungry for another $36 worth of food. For a place that thrives on selling $15 bowls of water, the servers should at the very least know what the hell is being cooked that night. The food was only as good as 1/3 of its price, service was mediocre, and the waitress mistakenly poured water into some dude's $4 club soda three times in a row. THREE TIMES. Nobody in here is Japanese, and the only Asian waitress, who they use as a front, is actually from Hong Kong. This place drips with pretentiousness and is a total sham in every way imaginable. But the best part was yet to come. Shortly before I left, I overheard a conversation in which the owner was bragging to people about how rich he was, how the food was "tits" and he could just retire and go live in Thailand for the rest of his life, the $200 massage he'd gotten that afternoon, and the fact that he actually hated running the restaurant (what?). Then, the following happened: - Me: "Can I give you some constructive criticism?" - Owner: "No. Do you want the keys, too?" - Me: "Huh?" - Owner: "The keys to the restaurant." He pulled the keys to the front door out of his pocket and gestured to hand them to me, as if to say "if you have a problem with the place, go run it yourself." Then, he turned away and avoided me for the rest of the night--after I'd genuinely tried to help his business. Please don't throw away your money at these douchebags.
(2)Caroline L.
This place is amazing. They have the most authentic ramen and worth the cost. The bowl doesnt look that big but there is probably 3 servings of noodles in it. Ive never had pork like that at any ramen place in town. So happy they are in my neighborhood!
(5)Kerry L.
Oh, Shibumi. I love your food. I love it so much I keep coming back. I love your staff, your kitchen and your dining room are filled with people who seem to really care about quality. And, yet, you seem to have a hard time finding customers. Is it izakaya fatigue? Your prices and portions aren't notably different from anyone else in the neighborhood, but your flavors are above and beyond. I can't figure out why you're not more popular, but I'm going to keep coming back, a couple times a month, because that's how much I love you.
(5)Jenny L.
As hunger corroborated our illogical mind, we settled for the nearest new restaurant. Knowing this is a newer place, we gave them the benefit of doubt for the price and taste. We ordered the agadashi tofu, chicken miso ramen and BBQ shoyu ramen. The tofu was soaked with the sauce and didn't have any history it was ever fried. Ramen were looked great but taste was a huge disappointment. The chicken miso ramen tasted closer to chicken soup. Nothing fancy except kale, ramen, and chicken. Soup was bland. The BBQ ramen was more flavorful but due to the lack of creative ramen ingredients ranked average at best. Prices were higher than the normal for good ramen. Decor of the restaurant were tasteful. Walls were filled with plenty of colorful liquor. Service required flagging even though the server knew we were the only new guests of less than six total customers. If you are looking for good ramen, go elsewhere.
(2)Matt D.
Very disappointing. This place is GREAT if you want to drop a few hundred bucks for very little portions of mediocre food. The decor is fascinating but the food overall is mediocre at best. If I'm going to pay a good amount in dining I expect the food and service to be much better than this. If you want really good food, Tsukushinbo has better Ramen and Maneki has better Sushi. Although I guess paying 4 dollars for a bottle of water was really what made this restaurant a unique, memorable experience. Very 'French'. (Eyes rolled)
(2)Jarrod S.
I do love a good bowl of ramen, so I ended up eating here two-out-of-three nights. I had the tonkotsu (pork) ramen the first night, and it was heavenly. I understand that they work on their broth for 22 hours. The slices of fatty pork added a lot of heft to the dish, and the broth was a real standout. My second visit, I tried the torigaya shoyu (chicken) ramen. It was less spectacular. The chicken they topped it with was a little cold still, and the flavors didn't own my mouth in quite the same way the pork did. On both occasions, I got some sushi. I tried the salmon and the bluefin nigiri, as well as the salmon maki and the tuna maki. Theses were all above average. They said the fish was never frozen, but the salmon on the nigiri was so cold that it felt as if it was freshly thawed, dulling the flavor a bit. They take their sake menu very seriously and seemed to be pretty knowledgeable on that front.
(4)Brian B.
Disappointing !! Ramen was bland, overpriced, and chicken nearly raw. Chicken karaage and gyoza was okay. I hope they succeed but I think I'll stick to Wann and Kushibar to scratch my ramen and izakaya street food itch. This place just didn't deliver for these prices and the hipsters working were a little too precious for me.
(2)Phil C.
Gahh, I wanted to love this place so badly! Fresh off my third trip to Japan, hearing about this place really got me excited about ramen on Capitol Hill. Food: Decent ramen, but definitely not at $15. Hate to say it, but samurai noodle is a better overall deal. The recurring theme seemed to be jacked prices for either decent flavor or tiny, tastier portions... and that's with keeping Tokyo price comparisons in mind, actually. Decor: They've adopted the unfortunate concrete and metal look that's popular everywhere else the past five years, which conflates "let's save money" with "modern".
(3)Anthony B.
Expensive, Pretentious, and Tasty. Shibumi is a new Izakaya restaurant in Capitol Hill. If you are unfamiliar with Izakaya the literal translation is "Expensive Japanese bar food" (trust me I'm half Japanese). To this translation Shibumi is true. The space is very modern and clean. Almost sterile feeling. Stiff perhaps. This was reflected in the staff as well. While dining in the bar (Friday around 5) we had 3 friends show up and they were told that the entire restaurant was booked. They inquired about the remaining bar seats and we told there was nothing available. After chatting with us for a few minutes they hostess informed them that "arrangements had been made" and they could eat. Also in the next half hour 1 couple showed up to eat. My friends Ramen was good but not exceptional, especially for the price. My pork belly and cod croquettes were 2 tasty dishes but for the better part of $16 amounted to about 4 large bites. I hope they do well enough to lower their prices or introduce some sort of happy hour menu. Otherwise there are better places that embody the Izakaya spirit for much more reasonable prices.
(3)Michelle F.
So good! I was truly impressed by this restaurant. They have an excellent waitstaff, a menu that is easy to understand, and dishes that are served perfectly. Being Japanese, I am always on the hunt for really epic Japanese food. Shibumi has filled this need of mine. I highly suggest trying the octopus appetizer. I've never had one better, and I've probably had one at least once a month for the entirety of my life. I almost ordered a second one, even though I was full. i'll definitely be back again and again, if not for the complete menu then for this dish. The miso salmon was spot on, and the udon noodles were handmade, and served deconstructed and very, very fresh. I want this right now, honestly. Do yourself a service and try some of the best Japanese food in Seattle.
(5)Valerie C.
We came here on night two and considering it was night two the restaurant was running pretty smoothly. The food was delicious, with some room for improvement I think. There were four of us so we decided to get a bunch of things to share. We tried the seaweed salad, croquettes, pork belly, and spicy gyoza to start. All tasted amazing and were very shareable. The croquettes were my favorite with minced beef and potato fried to a crisp. The pork belly was a close second! We also tried the black cod and tonkotsu ramen. The cod was cooked well but less flavorful than we're used to. The tonkotsu ramen was also good, however, not nearly as creamy as I'd expect tonkotsu broth to be. It was pork-y but not heavy with big flavor. The noodles were perfect and the portion is nice to share between two people. The bar has an extensive selection of sake and wine. They also have other Japanese microbrews, which are a nice change from the usual Asahi and Kirin. The Cabin in the Snow sake, both regular and nigori, were so smooth. We'll definitely be back for drinks and to try the wagyu and other items! It seemed like they were only seating those with reservations. So make one online before you stop by, just in case they're still doing that!
(4)Sarah R.
Since moving to Seattle six months ago (from Philly - an exceptional food town), I've explored numerous 'top 10' restaurants for various cuisines, including Japanese and sushi restaurants. None of the other established places had me elicit the Meg Ryan When Harry Met Sally orgasm like the sashimi sampler at Shibumi did tonight. We also shared the special crab ramen (which also had scallop and shrimp in it).... same response. The crab melted in my mouth. The corn was fresh and sweet. The noodles were tender and delicious. And the broth was perfectly complementary to it all. We also had the burdock and carrot kinpira. So simple - yet so fantastically flavorful. Each and every tastebud approved. My friend Mariko (who lives in Seattle but is from Japan) swears this is the most authentic Japanese you will experience in town. The owner Eric has lived in Japan and studied and perfected all of these dishes. Holy moly. This is it. This is the place I've been waiting for. This is the place you must try. You'll read on this site some complaints about the price. Look at it this way. If you are going out for fresh, authentic Japanese, you are going to pay. And if you pay any one dollar extra here, you will get 10x the return for the flavor, ambiance, and service. Check Shibumi out!
(5)Becky N.
I read some reviews comparing this place to Ippudo in NYC and was excited to give it a try. Unfortunately, the only thing this place has in common with Ippudo are the escalated prices and the lack of to-go boxes. I wanted to order a few things to try and asked the waiter to box up whatever I couldn't finish. He promptly told me that they do not have any to-go containers and cannot box anything up to take home. Then the guy behind the bar said that if I couldn't finish my ramen, he could probably find something to put it in. Anyway, if you are the type to always have food left over like me, bring your own container(s). The special of the day (5/5/14) was chicken and bamboo shoots potstickers topped with shimeji mushrooms in a thick broth. Other than it being a little on the salty side, this was an excellent dish. It tasted freshly made and was very flavorful. The broth was a nice change to the traditional soy dipping sauce. It reminded me of ravioli more than potstickers and I highly recommend getting this if and when available. I've had the pleasure of eating ramen at many popular places like ippudo (NYC), Santouka and daikokuya (SoCal) so my expectations are pretty high. The tonkatsu ramen here was just ok for me. The noodles and the pork had great texture, but the broth fell short in my opinion. For dessert, I had the "Yuzu custard with fresh fruit". They should have called it Yuzu with strawberries because that was the only fresh fruit that was in my bowl. Although it was tasty, the presentation made it look not very palatable. I may be a little bias in rating this dessert because I love all things Yuzu, but I do recommend getting this if you want something light, tangy, and sweet. Overall, I give this place 3.5 stars. FYI: this is a busy part of Seattle and trying to find a parking spot is horrendous! Make sure you allow yourself at least an extra 15 minutes to find a spot (especially if you have reservations).
(3)Linda L.
Food: The crab soup was a bit salty for me, but the sashimi was so fresh! It was delicious. Amazing marbling in the high-grade Wagyu beef. You can see the time and passion in each dish, meticulously prepared food. Service: Impressed with the waitstaff, very knowledgeable and so approachable to answering your questions.
(5)Jabba T.
Being new to Seattle, I am always looking for new restaurants to try, but last week I just had to go to a familiar spot...kind of. I just moved to Seattle from Santa Fe where this restaurant used to be. I am soooo glad that it is now in Seattle. We started our meal with some freshly sliced Wagyu carpaccio. It was divine, and so very fresh. Next we were served some lovely fresh dumplings with fresh mushrooms. Again, gorgeous and delicious. Next, we had a perfectly cooked giant squid. This was all before the main course! For our soups, my wife had the pork tonkatsu. The broth was so rich and awesome. I had the chicken...still awesome, but the pork was the winner this night. Desert was a lite green tea sorbet with black sesame creme englaise and fresh strawberries....mmmmmm. The service was superb. They have a fantastic drink selection with sake, shochu, and asian beers. Plus they have a full bar, always a plus. I don't get the negative reviews. It is a new location, so maybe they're still working out some minor kinks, but this Shibumi is a restaurant to bet on. Definitely recommended!
(5)Jason J.
I'll start off by saying that the food is definitely 5 stars, but some might be a quibble about the ambience and service and of course if "money is a concern" it could be viewed as quite pricey for the quantity of food you get. As a whole it's probably fairer to rate this as a 4 star "experience", but food is king, and the food is definitely a 5. I've found the service to be vastly improved on my third visit, and it almost felt like you had some career professional service staff like a high end NYC restaurant. The space is small and if the restaurant is full it can feel a bit crowded, but it keeps the number of diners down to the level that the kitchen can really pay attention to the food they are preparing - and that makes all the difference. We did the Omakase this time and the sashimi and sushi were top notch, comparable to Nishino or Shiro in terms of fish quality. The middle courses were quite interesting, visually playful, very contrasting flavors that were challenging to some of our party (one was particularly bitter). We finished with the Pork Belly - probably the best I've ever had - which was very meaty, had a nice background of smokiness, and just a touch of sweetness. I think my only complaint is the Sake menu - it feels overweighted to the high priced bottles. I guess I'd prefer to see a better selection of affordable bottles. By point of reference, three months ago I dined at Noma, and I can honestly say that I could imagine seeing a few of these dishes on that menu. Just a stunningly good meal.
(5)Kayla R.
Well, that was weird. The restaurant was completely empty except for one guy at the bar, but the hostess told us we could have happy hour at the bar or order dinner at a table. Apparently their completely unoccupied tables are off limits for happy hour customers. Okay, fine. We sat at the bar. Then our server was very quiet and wouldn't make eye contact at all. It was pretty loud in there for an empty restaurant, so we couldn't hear most of what he said. He just stared out the window and mumbled softly. He also told us it was a Chinese restaurant and didn't know what the specials were (we ordered the squid and octopus hand roll he told us about; it was a salad). Maybe he was new. Being the only people in the restaurant was a little off-putting. It felt like the whole staff was hanging around within 15 feet of our table waiting for us to need something. And the food... was sort of decent. The chicken karaage was my favorite, but it had raw panko on the outside. The tonkatsu was chewy. The tempura was cooked perfectly but tasted totally unseasoned. Overall, it was definitely not worth putting up with the rude hostess and clingy, mumbly, ill-informed servers.
(2)Ben H.
Spectacular dinner experience last night. 10 courses including black cod, wagyu tartare, amazing sashimi, excellent udon, and a complex mushroom soup. We let Eric the owner drive the menu and saki selection and we certainly didn't regret it :-)
(5)Jenny K.
Very basic food with a rather limited selection and simple flavors. I give it a "meh." (disappointing) As someone raised in Japan, I have pretty high standards when it comes to noodles. At a typical noodle bar (or cart), one might see a few choices of broth, different noodle styles to choose from, and a variety of toppings. At Shibumi, there's basically four of five choices. None of them impressed me, especially considering the price. And it's a crime that they don't offer a raw or soft boiled egg topping, which is both "traditional" and quite "happening" right now in trendy Seattle restaurants (soft boiled eggs on salads, fried eggs on hamburgers, etc). In terms of atmosphere, layout is a little weird but there's a cool vibe. I thought that building in a "sushi bar" was an odd choice, since sushi isn't served and there's really not to much see as far as the chef goes. One thing that might have been cool would have been to have catered to all the singles on the Hill that need a cool spot to get dinner, instead of taking food home. At a traditional noodle bar in Japan, one can stand, sit at a hightop or claim an intimate little spot for one behind a noren curtain. In terms of service, wait staff are excellent. I give the chef a big thumbs down for telling a guest that she can't sit near him, because he's sensitive to her "scents." Felt super weird and strange to say that, as she wasn't wearing any perfurme that I could smell. The one thing I did notice was that she was African American, and that comment, more than any perfume or overpriced menu item, was what stank to me.
(2)Marc M.
This poor representation of Japanese food might fly on Capitol Hill, but not in most places. All of the dishes we had were fairly underwhelming: tonkatsu, green beans, and especially the $15 ramen. Obviously drinks can easily tip a bill over the top, but at the end of the night when you just dropped $70 and wonder what you actually got out of that - it's not a good look. Service was cool and the sake tasted good, however if I want authentic Japanese food Maneki will be my destination.
(2)Ian G.
Went with wife and had a great time. Sat at the bar and chatted with eric the owner and chef and his Brazilian Japanese souschef. Tonkatsu ramen was really really good. The broth was milky, creamy and delicious and we appreciated that they split the portion for us. Cha siu was grilled pork belly and far better than your average ramen shop. The noodles were chewy like they should be. This was easily worth the price of admission IMO. Best ramen I've had in Seattle. Cod and salmon were both well executed, subtle, nicely cooked. The sushi menu is limited but the pieces we had were excellent. To me, that was the big surprise. It's supposedly an izakaya not a sushi bar. But they reportedly have a master sushi chef doing the sushi. Honestly, it's tougher than u might think to get good sushi in this town. People might hate me for saying this but shiro has never blown me away, nishino is overpriced and mediocre. We like tsukushinbo. In any case, ask a sushi chef what the most impt thing about sushi is..... It's the rice! Not the fish. And the rice here was lovely. Soft, bit sweet, melty, and topped with well placed hotate....divine. Hamachi belly..... Same thing... I read some of the reviews on this place and hope that people give the place a chance. We will go back for sure.
(5)Rita W.
we arrived on a tuesday at the top of happy hour. the restaurant was quiet and we sat at the bar and spent quality time with Michael the bartender who was very informed and knowledgeable on the entire menu. the restaurant is sparingly decorated fitting in with the zen of japanese industrial decor. we sensed this place could become very loud when it is a full house. we had the karaage, the pork belly and the tsukune at happy hour prices. at 5 pm, we ordered our ramens, and the eggplant and the giant squid. great happy hour price on the Asahi beer at $3.00! tsukune and pork belly skewers: well grilled. the pork belly seemed a bit dry. be aware that there are only two pieces per order. i mean two pieces of meat, not two skewers. the tsukune was a sliced ground meat roll. karaage: a mich lighter batter than the usual karaage. cooked just right so the chicken bits were juicy and tender. i had to ask for salt. our bartender michael quickly provided a small bowl of salt without grousing about guests needing to salt the chef's food. giant squid: grilled. perfectly tender. the little tentacles are my favorite. a win. beef and eggplant with spicy red miso: merely ok. the beef were small bits of ground beef meatballs that seemed dry or maybe too lean. the plate would have been fine with just the eggplant and maybe another veggie like green beans or bamboo shoot. the ramen: shockingly, there was not an option to have a soft boiled/ poached/ whatever egg with the ramen. no egg was available. our wonderful bartender said the kitchen would most likely be able to cook up a soft egg for me, but there would be a surcharge. this is a fail. an egg is part of a bowl of ramen. and most of you already know how i feel about paying extra for an egg. but, enough whining. torigara shoyu ramen: the broth was almost "there". i added a dash or so of shoyu and it was almost perfect. the curly noodles were perfect. i liked the crown daisy. i was happy to see some menma in my bowl. i missed the nori. i asked if i could substitute the pork for the chicken. no problem! and no surcharge for this. a win. the pork was fatty and melted in the mouth. another win. a small tray of ramen seasonings were presented: togarashi, japanese white pepper and la yu. a win for the japanese white pepper. our most excellent bartender michael offered to split out our check and did an outstanding job. he split the food in half and charge us accordingly for the drinks we had. he is a true professional. A+++ for Michael B+ for the small plates. C+ for the ramen. the broth and the lack of egg are the main reason for the down-grade. i would not shun this place. the prices were a bit high for the quantity of the serving. $14 bowl of ramen without an egg seems high. i would try the ramen again in several months to see if they chef has massaged the broth since Shibumi has just recently opened. all dishes listed as well as 2 beers and 2 sakes came to about $80.00
(3)nate c.
Drinks were great ! Service was good although the food came out slow. Unfortunately it all was very one note.. Under seasoned, and there is no use of herbs and aromatics in any of the food. Fairly bland and boring. Also, you can tell some of it was precooked and warmed to order such as a potato pancake.. You should never reheat fried potato, yuck. Soggy grease cake more like it. The pork for the Gyoza and ramen are both smoked, which was the only flavor profile to come through Nd didn't strike me as very Japanese.To top it off my stomach felt warm and uneasy for 3+ days after :/ . I want to like it. But I can't say we will back.
(2)Steven G.
I was super impressed at this pricey hole in the wall. It was rather formal in presentation, but the swarm of staff were down to earth and helpful. Juicy, crispy chicken karaage, and the creamy rich tonkotsu ramen had me hooked. I didn't get to try their kushiyaki or sushi, but now I really want to. It will cost a pretty penny (the two dishes I had came out to $25+tip after tax, and that was without a drink), but the quality is the sort you expect from a place that costs a pretty penny. It reminds me of Miku in Vancouver BC in terms of class and quality. Totally coming back.
(5)C O.
My friends and I were craving some ramen and after a hearty no to Samurai Noodle, we stumbled upon this place. The first thing I noticed is that all the tables were pretty much occupied on a Saturday night around 6:30 or so. We were seated next to the bar and directly faced some sort of barrier thing. Kind of weird layout, but kind of liked our privacy. We started off with some appetizers: spicy pork gyoza, short ribs, and onigiri with salmon. Everything was pretty good, but what stood out were the short ribs. They were absolutely divine; the meat just fell off the bone and was so tender. We followed appetizers with tonkotsu ramen. It is better than some places that I have been to in Seattle, but the bamboo shoots were WAY salty. Despite that, we finished all our bowls. Dinner was also accompanied with two small jugs of sake. All in all the atmosphere is awesome and it can be a bit pricey, but quality food and quality service made it great! Looks like they have an awesome happy hour M-FR from 4-7PM, so I will also be definitely checking that out!
(4)Suki K.
My condo is only few blocks away from this place, yet I was at first apprehensive about having ramen here due to neg comments on yelp. I was spoiled by Kukai and Tsukushinbo and was afraid of having epic ramen fail exp and feeling like I wasted my hard earned $. But, it was chilly last night, and I was craving ramen. So, I decided to give this new joint a try, and I am glad I did. I tried their seaweed salad, cod/potato croquette and tonkatus ramen. They were all good. I never thought about adding fried tofu skin or bean sprouts to my seaweed salad, and they were quite good and went well with seaweed. Croquette was delish, and ramen was not bad either. Their broth was very rich and pork belly was full of smoky flavor and well-seared. Most restaurants do a horrible job of cooking or/and searing pork belly, but this place knows what they are doing. The bottom line: if you are in Cap Hill and crave ramen, do go to this place and check it out. It is much better than god awful Samurai -- BTW, I really hope Samurai would commit seppuku and go away. Don't trust half-asian or "oh I lived in Japan xx number of years" people's comments. I also did not think they were pretentious. My servers were friendly and affable.
(4)Steven C.
I have been here twice now with two friends that are both Japanese. They both have raved about the quality and taste of the dishes. I agree that the small plates are very good. The tempura, agedahsi, gyoza and burdock and carrot kinpira were all home runs. The prices are very reasonable for the quality. The service at the first dinner was just ok but the second time I felt it had improved remarkably. 4.5 stars.
(5)Krishna S.
TL;DR - Not worth visiting. Food is pretty mediocre at best and really expensive. Service was great though. I went with a group of friends since I was told the ramen at this place was pretty good. We ordered the pork belly kushikatsu, tonkatsu, agedashi tofu, wagyu slices, seared wagyu slices, miso ramen, tempura, and a marinated black cod. The pork belly and the seared wagyu were both delicious. I attribute this more to the quality of the meat and less to any prep they may have done. Everything else we ate was pretty lackluster or just down right bad. The tonkatsu was chewy and not good at all. The breading for the tempura was not very good and tasted like something I would get from a below average japanese restaurant. The raw wagyu slices were so cold when we got them that it didn't taste like anything. Even after waiting a while for them to warm up it was still not very good. The black cod had a strong rice wine flavor to it. My friends liked this but not me. The miso ramen was also quite meh. The broth wasn't terribly flavorful. Given how expensive the restaurant is I have to give this place 1 star.
(1)Chris W.
Friendly service, reasonable availability during the day. Definitely more packed in the late-night hours. But hey, not much available at that hour anyway, so no surprise. I'm sure it gets a lot of Cuff traffic. We started off with the broccoli ohitashi, crunchy-chewy, and good. Then moved onto the age dofu, light and fluffy with a mild outside crispness, good broth. The miso black cod was definitely a highlight, perfectly succulent consistency, both flaky and creamy. The spicy pork gyoza was full of flavor and AWESOME. Nothing like the long-frozen crap you'll get at other local joints. For an entree, we had the tonkotsu ramen. It was milky, fortified and filling, ours came with chashu, menma, sesame oil, scallions, chili threads, and mizuna leaf. It was slurped it down very quickly. We finished with fresh berries in yuzu curd, topped with a toasty sprinkling of black sesame. Yum. On par value-wise with ramen houses worth visiting in Seattle, and much better izakaya than you'll find elsewhere in Seattle*. You can definitely taste the difference in ingredients and care between Shibumi and the cheaper joints. Happy it's here, and we'll definitely be repeat customers at any hour! *I'm pestering the owner to bring in some takoyaki to the menu. Late night food calls for it!
(5)Mike B.
Meh. Didn't have Sushi so can't comment there. The squid and natto was actually stomach turning. We didn't expect the squid to be raw. Truely horrid, think raw squid in snotty beans. I thought tempura was fine but my wife disliked the batter and dipping sauce. The salmon belly was pretty good. Hard to fuck belly up but it was cooked really well. The ramen was really intense but pretty good. If the pork was a little less fatty with some more char it would have been great. And maybe dial the salt back. I'll be dehydrated for a few days.
(3)Breana B.
This place was just okay. The food was tasty, though extremely small portions. It was just way too overpriced.. And a little too "trendy" for my taste. A little pompous and pretentious too. Skip it. Go get your ramen in the International District.
(2)James F.
My first warning should have been that they spec'd greypants light fixtures... :P I found this place confusing. They have a "full bar" with no cocktail menu. The server didn't seem to understand that you always serve from the right. The waiter was incorrect in the portion sizes, seaweed salad didn't taste like seaweed, and despite the chef having "a very strict policy against perfume/cologne" they seem to seat all the people wearing it right by the kitchen, then awkwardly asking them to move after they have eaten... Food wasn't inedible, but completely lacked the delicate palette of GOOD japanese Izakaya. The agedashi tofu was gummy, the tempura was doughy/undercooked and stuck together like a giant deepfried vegetable salad doughnut. Beef and potato croquette was tasty. The beef, pork belly, and shrimp skewers were good, if it wasn't for the fact that they were sitting over a bed of heavy mayonnaise/aoli. Overall, seems like a place with lots of style and little substance, which means it'll probably to GREAT in capitol hill ;P
(1)Jane D.
I said I'd bump up to a 5 if they keep making my favorite chicken ramen.. So a five it is. Last week it was chicken and duck ramen, still the best in town.. So much flavor. Nice drink to go with it, and all is well.
(5)Noelle R.
I thought it was fine. The karaage chicken was really great. The potstickers were not spicy as advertised, but delicious. The tonkotsu broth was really rich, almost too much so. The cost for a bowl of ramen seems VERY high. Additionally, I am not a fan when a server offers you a special beer, and that special beer is a preposterous price, but the server doesn't tell you how much it costs. The beer I chose ended up being not on the menu, and $14. Just tell me how much it costs before you sell it to me. That way I can make my own decision. Not sure how often I'll be back, due to the cost of the ramen, but it was decent.
(3)Karen L.
Sushi: 5 stars Drinks: 5 stars Ramen: 3 stars Sushi was really fresh (shrimps and geoducks were still alive). It's not a sushi restaurant so the types of fish they serve are limited but it's def worth ordering the available ones. Drinks were excellent. We ordered sake and some other drinks and the bartender knows what he does. I loved how he used one big ice cube instead of several small ice cubes in the drinks so the ice melts slowly and the drink gets diluted slowly. Ramen- it's not bad but it's not amazing. Coming from DC, I've had really good ramen and I'm def spoiled in that way. The broth here needs to be improved. But they were generous to give 3-4 huge pieces of pork belly in the ramen. Table next to us ordered bunch of dishes and they looked really good. I'm def willing to come back here to get sushi and try other food.
(4)Juliet D.
i like this place, but the food is quite expensive. for a piece of cod it was $18 and it was a small portion. i like their ramen but i think it's silly to spend $15-16 on a bowl of it. ambiance is nice though. so if you're looking for a swank place and are not frugal, it's great.
(3)donut h.
Never, ever, ever turn people away from your restaurant. Bad policy. Tried to go once and was turned away because we had no reservation even though there was at least one full table open and the ability to add a chair at the bar. It was not busy. Those same spots and more were still open when we walked by a half hour later. Seattle isn't a "do you have a reservation" kind of town. They want to pile up outside the door and wait in the rain (like they do at Skillet, for example) for some quality food. This is the stiff introduction to a disappointing experience. The ramen is very nice and thoughtful - and $15. I can understand a premium price knowing how much preparation goes into the broth but it should have had a soft boiled egg or one other garnish or something. Everything else is sparse and expensive. Unfortunately, this is possibly the new wave of what's coming to Capitol Hill. Given that, I have utmost sympathy for the staff and owner - who I think someone mentioned earlier as the disheveled, older cook - I'd be the same way. It must be a struggle. And the staff was really nice but seemed like they were walking on eggshells. I can't figure out if the place needs to settle in and relax or if it's not possible because they want to keep it upscale. Who knows, they may be able to find a niche of customers. I'm not against upscale ethnic - I go to Ba Bar all the time. But most people I know don't have the income to overlook a lack of value regardless of its quality. I'll try and go back to revisit my review. And no, I'm not going to make a reservation.
(2)Vincent C.
This was one of the best dining experiences we have had in years. The owner thanked us for coming in immediately, the manager/bartender Chris R. was very attentive and even let us try some of his signature drink bases that he makes from scratch. Chris gave us great suggestions for drinks and food, all of which were divine! From previous experiences at other restaurants on the hill I expected to get a skimpy serving for dinner. Instead, we got a ramen bowel FULL of fresh seafood and beautiful spices. Everything was cooked to perfection. The appetizer (crab Tsusume) was beyond words terrific! We will definitely be returning. The prices are a bit more expensive but...you get what you pay for. We even liked the décor and the background music.
(5)wasabi s.
I wanted to see how this place compared to my izakaya experiences in Japan. It was pretty disappointing though. The decor is pretty cold but that's not a huge deal. My agedashi tofu was chewy and gummy. The waiter completely forgot my friend's main dish and since I was long finished with my food, we cancelled it. Then we received the bill and noticed how high it was. Upon further inspection, my friend noticed it wasn't even our bill. The staff were nice enough but things need to operate much more smoothly at those prices. I probably won't recommend it.
(2)Carlita M.
Pros: Great quality fish and perfectly cooked dishes; great ambience/music Con: Food is a little slow Ordered nigiri, giant squid, donko shitake, geoduck, and icecream. EVERYTHING was delicious. The sushi was easily the best I've had in Seattle. They have a new sushi chef that is very nice and definitely knows what he's doing. Also, the ice cream (chocolate and mango ginger) was probably the best ice cream I've had in a long time. Beats molly moons, full tilt, etc. Great spot for a date - good music (not too loud), nice lighting, and comfortable seating. Bar tender was knowledgable and helped us taste/choose sake we liked.
(5)Elise P.
Stopped in for happy hour recently and was blown away! The service from every staff member was impeccable, and made our experience wonderful from the start. We ordered several small plates to share, all very reasonably priced and delicious! The fried squid was the best either of us had ever had, both light and extremely flavorful without being chewy at all. The sushi was super fresh and loved the bite size portion, versus the "American" rolls that are so big you can't figure out how to eat them politely. The gyoza is one of their specialties and very easy to see why-incredibly complex flavors and just to die for! My boyfriend and I agreed this is one of our top restaurant favorites in the city and by far the best Japanese food we have ever had. Both of us are constantly trying new places including overseas and this was no exception to amazing food. Love!
(5)Mariko I.
Let me tell you about "Shibumi". If you want, really really REALLY good authentic Japanese food, THIS IS THE PLACE. I had "KInpira" which was better than my mother's!! I have moved from Japan to Seattle last year and I had been looking for a real Japanese restaurant/izakaya ever since.... And I am telling people Shibumi is the one!!! Japanese food has very subtle and delicate taste. You need to be growing up with that kind of sensitivity that allows your tongue palate to develop. When I tasted Tonkotsu Ramen, I could taste layers and layers of flavor and love to this bowl of soup! I had to finish till the last drop of it:) "Meticulous preparation" speaks all about Japanese cuisine and Shibumi's dish surely shows that sprit that I am used to. (as being 100 % Japanese, I know that!!) I felt like I was home:) Price$$$ ?? Come on people!!! With this kind of quality, I think it's darn reasonable to me!! Enjoy your authentic Japanese cuisine experience! It's a whole other level. Bravo to Shibumi :))))
(5)Matt A.
Most ridiculous experience ever! I've lived in Cap Hill for three years and have tried most places. There was hardly anyone else in the restaurant so you'd think you'd aim to impress. Basically all you need to know is that when we were leaving, the server says "hey guys...next time, don't wear fragrances. We have a strict rule against it." Thanks bro, there won't be a next time.
(1)Alex K.
-- Food -- My friend and I shared karaage chicken as an appetizer, and though there wasn't as much chicken as I had expected, it was well fried and marinated, with a bit of extra breading added on for some nice crunch. The main thing I wanted to try was t
(3)Alyssa C.
I was pleasantly surprised by this new spot. I highly recommend the Donko Shiitake-- amazing flavor, juicy texture. My friend wouldn't stop talking about how it had the texture of filet mignon. The Braised Duck was also perfect in my opinion, and I can't wait to go back!
(4)Carly H.
I went here with some friends the other night and quite enjoyed my meal. After reading some of the others reviews, I agree and disagree. The atmosphere in the place was a bit cold, but my Tonkotsu Ramen was delicious. It was very flavorful, with a hint of spice, and with tasty seaweed and noodles. I tried my friend's Chicken Miso Ramen, however, and it was super bland. Not sure why there was such a huge difference in taste. I also tried the special chicken and bamboo shoot dumplings and agree with another reviewer that while delicious, they were a bit oversalted. The Yuzu Chu-Hi was a delicious, refreshing, citrusy drink that I enjoyed. If the prices were a bit lower, I'd probably return quite frequently, but $15 for a bowl of ramen is a bit steep. I will likely return, just not as often as I might for a quick bowl of ramen.
(4)al B.
First timer. On a cloudy night in June. Fabulous. Chicken dumplings, chicken ramen were memorable. Definitely on my be back list.
(4)Dylan B.
Very good - not just the ramen, but the dining experience on the whole. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and overall service was great. The still/sparkling water up-sell to begin the meal is a little off putting, and somewhat out of place compared to the overall landscape of Seattle dining. But this was quickly forgiven, as our waiter was able to provide a very in depth run down of sake options as well as personal recommendations of dining favorites. In terms of food - our party ordered a wide variety of items. The edamame potato salad is okay. The beef croquettes and spicy gyoza are definitely good, but not absolutely exceptional dishes. I'd order them again. The pork belly and seared wagyu are fantastic - definitely on the need to try list. The head chef delivered the seared wagyu to our table free of charge, simply as an item he thought we needed to try. Bonus points for that. After trying all these dishes, I'd forgotten that I'd come for ramen. I could have eaten the wagyu and pork belly and gone home happy, but the tonkotsu ramen was very good as well. I've recently dined at Ippudo in NYC and Momofuku in Toronto, and I prefer Shibumi to each of these. The pork is great - the broth is slightly more subtle than expected, but is very good and can be fine tuned to eater preference. All in all, a very good experience and nice addition to the hill. It is on the pricier side for a bowl of ramen, but like Ba Bar (pricey pho) and The Saint (pricey Mexican), I think it earns the right to be a few bucks more expensive than usual. I'll be back and will recommend to friends.
(4)Jason A.
Cap Hill has a great gift in Shibumi. I've been to many "traditional" Japanese places in Seattle. This is the only one I would suggest to anyone who wanted real Japanese food. You wont know this wasn't made in Japan. The chefs are extremely talented, friendly and knowledgeable. The bartender is superb. Everything I ate was fantastic. Things I normally don't eat were incredible. (I normally stay away from seafood but the seafood soup and sashimi were amazing.) The place isn't cheap, but I don't see any reason for it to be. You don't go to Shibumi to crab a quick bite. You go there for an experience. Shibumi is an experience worth having over and over.
(5)Ryan L.
I heard this restaurant was opening and I thought I would give it a shot. I went on a Wednesday night and it was packed! I was surprised this place was so busy on a week night during its first week. We were greeted right away and seated at the bar right in front of the cook staff. I was a little skeptical at first but when we were handed complementary Saki shots that went away. We ended up making great conversation with one of the chefs. He walked us through the menu and explained his what items he preferred. Forget his name but we loved him. We indulged a little and tried a bit of everything. The gyoza and green beans are great. The squid and ramen were both phenomenal. Overall, had a great experience. Food was amazing, staff was extremely friendly, and you cant beat free Saki!
(5)Nolan L.
Restaurant was empty but food still took over 1 hour to serve. Ramen is very good, the duck was bland and overpriced, and the sushi is fresh but pricey. Finally, they automatically add 20 percent gratuity to groups of 6. Ordinarily that wouldnt be a big deal but you would expect some break on that or an apology when the food took to long to come out. I would not go back.
(2)Erin F.
Great little spot with personal service and tons on flavor. The little tastings while we waited for our order were fun and refreshing, the spicy gyozas were delicious, and the thinly sliced beef was fantastic (could live without the hashbrowns it was served on). The pork ramen was way too strongly bacon flavored. If I returned, I would stick to small plates. When my response to their dessert menu was that I couldn't have dairy, the chef made a few fruit based tastings on the house! Delicious! They will ask if you want to sit at the bar and watch food being made, which is not actually possible while seated since the chairs are well below viewing height and the dishes are stacked along the counter. They should have bar stools if that is what they are going for. Its a little tough on the wallet for how much food you get, but the flavor is worth a try!
(4)Logan B.
I loved this place! My boyfriend and I came here together and ordered a few plates to share. They were all absolutely incredible. Everything was fresh and full of flavor. I highly recommend coming here and exploring the menu like we did.
(5)Miss Y.
this restaurant had some great agedashi tofu!! we were excited to taste the rest of the meal but everything else that followed was mediocre...and the ramen was a huge disappointment!! izakaya should be a greasy spoon...the smell of the grill and food cooking should immediately hit you as you come in the door. it is far from what traditional izakaya should be, including the price!! its definitely capital hill price point and not what it should be for izakaya food. if you're looking for some ok food, service and over priced items, shibumi should be right up your alley along with every other restaurant in capital hill. for more of traditional vibe, taste and price...try Issian in Wallingford area. and for ramen...try aloha or ramen man.
(3)Paul D.
Since writing the first review we've been back many times. The menu has been scaled back, sushi added, and service issues resolved. There's a cocktail menu now too with interesting house cocktails. Quality has remained consistently superb, and the Tonkatsu ramen remains sublime. If you haven't been yet, go now.
(5)LA M.
Not only was this dining experience a disappointment but, looking back the following morning, it actually made me angry. The food lacked the heart of Japanese cooking, almost as if the chef did not understand or respect anything of the tradition of Japanese cuisine. The balance of taste and texture seemed to be completely ignored. This was the root of my anger. I'll keep the majority of our order quick and to the point: Potato and edamame salad--fine consistency but too salty, insanely small portion for the price. Tempura shrimp and vegetables--bland shrimp, bland and not crisp coating, raw batter inside broccoli fleurette, dipping sauce not seasoned enough; sweet potato, onion and broccoli were fresh, well cooked and flavorful. Pork belly skewer--nicely cooked and seasoned and smoky, unfortunately over-spiced aioli on the side. Finally, ramen, Shibumi's staple. Ramen has to have either a lot of soul or a lot of skill put into it. I feel like ramen is done a few ways. Cook it with love because you have little to no idea what you're doing. Cook it fast because you've been doing it the right way for years. Cook it cheap because it's just meant to fill the void of the stomach. Our tonkotsu broth lacked lip-coating, fatty goodness as well as seasoning. The noodles were overcooked and lacked solid wheat toothiness (granted, I prefer firm noodles). The pork seemed to have a smoked flavor which I found interesting yet odd. Bamboo shoots were pretty damn tender, tasty and just a little sweet. Overall the bowl lacked visual interest and flavor. Okay, so I was angry with the lack of respect for a $15 bowl of ramen! Samurai Noodle has better taste at half the price. Aside from the food, the service was understated yet reasonable. It did take an inordinately long time to receive our second beers, despite that there were a mere dozen or so other diners in the room at 7.30 on a Friday night. My dining partner had been to Japan on tour with a band. We ate at a lot of izakaya. Yes, we had expectations as well as hopes for exciting ingredients and expert preparation knowing full well of the price per portion at Shibumi. At izakaya in Tokyo, we would typically pay just 2500yen per person to eat and drink for hours. Those meals included everything from gut-busting bowls of udon and only-in-Japan creations like pizza with crust made entirely of broiled cheese to whole live squid sashimi and broiled hamachi collar. A simple Japanese menu with not a lot of flash (like the one at Shibumi) could be great at the right price. Maekawa Bar does classic, cheap and funky just fine. On the other hand, I would pay for the experience of an innovative twist on traditional izakaya dishes with premium ingredients and preparation. I guess I was angry that Shibumi seemed to destroy the balance of my meal with mediocre comfort food at haute cuisine prices. As we were leaving, my dining partner tried to restore that balance, tempering our bad experience with the good; "I enjoyed your company, but let's never come here again."
(1)Donna C.
We had the pork ramen, black cod, broccoli florets, karrage, chicken thighs, burdock & carrots, and tonkatsu. The food had pretty good flavor. Tonkatsu was dried up and doused in ketchup. Service was uninspired and the portions were very small and over-priced. Drink prices were also high. $130 check (including tip) for 2 people and we went home and made popcorn because we were still hungry. I might go back just to get the ramen ($15) - it actually was quite good. Overall pretty disappointing dining experience.
(2)Derek H.
What an odd, uncomfortable place... I recognize that the place is new, but the staff seemed so uncomfortable to be dealing with the public, very odd and unsettling. The host seemed embarrassed to be seating us at the service end of an empty bar... as well he should have. Normally I relish sitting at the bar, plenty of entertainment watching the chef/cooks work but this place isn't one of those, the view pretty well blocked except for watching the chef fight with his squeeze bottle by raising it up and pounding it on the counter...repeatedly. Odd, trim the tip man, trim the tip. Whilst the menu looked intriguing for food there was a dearth of cocktails which after tasting the liberties taken with the traditional izakaya food I would have expected a daring cocktail program. Any cocktail program. Overall the food was quite a disappointment. The Seaweed Salad tasted nothing of seaweed, being overly dressed, drowned in fact showing the heavy hand we would be exposed to throughout dinner. The kushiyaki whilst thankfully not overcooked was very one note and utterly lacking in finesse particularly when served with the ill matched and heavy handed aioli based sauces , the dashi was bitter, paired with the Agedashi Tofu, which was the gummiest I've ever had with what tasted and felt like a thick coat of mochi and an utter let down. The gyoza were tasty, not the best I've had in town but definitely the highlight of the evening. The evening ended with us waiting interminably for the check and then insult to injury after well over an hour within feet of the 'chef' we were informed of the 'no fragrance' policy strictly adhered to by the restaurant and asked to be moved to a window seat (which we would have preferred originally in the still empty restaurant.) Neither I nor my guest were wearing fragrance, although the 4 top seated behind us definitely were when seated shortly before we were asked to move. Acqua Di Gio I think... lots of it. I'll chalk all this up to birthing pains...and perhaps, just maybe I'll be back, but with better food elsewhere, friendlier staff/owners... why would I bother. Furthermore why should you?
(1)Steven S.
Pricey. Not a great value. Food is very good, but not worth the price. $8 for three small pieces of pork belly: I think you're really paying for that novelty factor. It was good pork belly, but not worth $8 in my opinion. $8 will buy you at least half a pound of pork belly in the ID. Won't be as good, but still oddly disproportionate pricing. Ramen was also very good and unctuous. But for $15? Target demographic seems to be the foolish who think Capitol Hill is this destination spot for awesome times. Also, waiters were a bit odd: lots of upselling. First question I got upon sitting down was "do you want to buy sparkling water?" Then was asked if I wanted more appetizers after I just ordered two. Very odd approach to restaurant dining. Not coming back. **4/25: Seeing the overtly biased, probably fake, 5 star reviews made me realize I was a little too generous and not critical enough in my review. 1 star.**
(1)mister f.
[The good] For starters, the agedashi tofu was very well done and probably the best I've had in Seattle and the effort to expose the well-kept secret that Japanese makes good and diverse beers is very welcome. [The not good at all] Unfortunately, my experience went sour quickly. The chef probably knows this but it's good to get a reminder once in a while. If you don't taste and check temperature of your food, you are cooking blind. For example, the karaage I received was raw in the middle and I had to return it after 1 half eaten bite. Also, with the exception of the pork belly (also undercooked), everything we received was plain and had no seasoning at all. Even the miso ramen was not a bit salty. [Customer service] This is more about customer service and I know there is a learning curve when you start but meeting with customers and apologizing about serving raw chicken would have been a common thing at most restaurant. [Inspiration ideas] I suggest spending time at Issian in Wallingford to get inspired. If you are in San Francisco go visit NOJO SF as this is a good example of what I think you are trying to accomplish with Shibumi.
(2)eric b.
Wanted to try Izakaya, and this place looking the most promising from Yelp reviews. Think Japanese tapas. Went early on a Saturday evening, surprisingly not busy, but it's still relatively new and the word hasn't got out. Overall, we enjoyed very much - good food, service, ambiance, no complaints. Felt like the price point was a little higher that I would have expected overall, but still was a good time. With that said, we still liked it well enough that we'd return. Details: Stuck to Sake, started with what was supposed to be a 300ml portion of the "Black Dragon" which seemed like a very light poor. Wound up then choosing a full bottle, low end bottles start around 60 and go up. Nice selection. Had the evening special which was a chicken and mushroom dumpling, super tasty and any foodie would like. The lightly seared Wagyu was awesome, as was miso salmon and pork belly. The shrimp + vegetable tempura was good tempura, but not transcendent. Several other items looked tempting and we'll plan to return to work our way through the rest of the menu. The waiter was friendly and knowledgeable, and both the manager and head chef stopped by to ask about our meal. I sense they are very keen on wanting to deliver the best possible experience. I bet this place even gets better over time We'll be back!
(4)Sadie J.
The pork ramen is delicious! A cool place, decent happy hour. Service was a tad slow in the bar area when the bartender got busy, but other servers did eventually step in. Pricey, but the pork ramen was worth it. The chicken ramen (regular soy, not miso) was also pretty good. Overall, a nice place to see on the hill (awesome people watching from the bar area too).
(4)jiwon c.
thought the ramen was pretty subpar even for seattle standards. not sure if it's because we went while they recently opened for the first time but service was pretty slow, inconsistent, and also subpar. **healthy tip: they ask you whether you want sparkling water or regular water and when you ask for a refill for the sparkling water, that's when you find out that they actually charge you for the sparkling water (including refills).
(2)Ben W.
Wow!! Shibumi is amazing! Authentic ramen house with a great sake list. You won't know what you're missing until you try this place. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Sean D.
Honestly some of the best food I've had in a while. Traditional Japanese Cuisine and my God the Ramen! A little more than your average bowl of Ramen but well worth it! Great service, nice atmosphere, good lighting, and amazing, amazing, amazing Ramen! Don't sleep on this place Seattle!
(5)Sarah F.
Amazing food, an exquisite sake selection, beautiful ambiance, and very attentive and professional staff... Lovely spot for a date night!
(5)Cranky M.
This place has some of the best quality fish I have ever tried and I've been eating sushi for 30 plus years. The uni I had was out of this world, briny and soft with just enough firmness. Some people whine about the somewhat narrow selection of fish, but that is driven by this place's obsession with quality fish, an obsession I share. Who wants to eat tough gummy tuna? Not me and probably not you. If you care about getting excellent quality fish, then go here. Oh yeah, they don't make crazy rolls either. ..Just the classics.
(5)Roberth K.
Was met by a little snobby greeter&seater that tried to make it look like they were busier than they were when I said we had no reservation. But apart from that little mishap it was a really good experience. The waiter was attentive without being intrusive. During the evening we got on chatting terms with the Maitre d' which led to free refills of our wine and beer, which may influence my rating of the service. :-) Needless to say, we tipped good when the check came. The dishes are small, even for an upscale Izakaya, so you have to order a bunch of dishes if you intend this to be your dinner. But hey, that's what Izakayas are all about! Lots of small plates, beers, sake and having fun or just winding down after a long day with friends. I don't know what they do to their cod when they cook it - but oh my god! It melted like butter on your tounge! The flavors of all dishes were really well composed and balanced, the spiciness was higher than what you normally find in Japanese food but it was good. The setting is a bit too up-scale for what I would normally seek out in an Izakaya, but with some smart seating arrangements you can still get a drinking-establishment feel to it. It is definitely more of a date-night place than a "let's meet up for business dinner" place. In all I really, really liked this place and I will definitely return.
(4)Gloria S.
This place deserves not a star. My dining companion and I went to Shibumi on a Wednesday around 7 pm. There was one other occupied table, a couple seated at the restaurant and many, many staff members standing around tensely as we walked in (I agree with another reviewer's walking on eggshells description). We were seated at a table for 2 kind of in the middle of the restaurant. A few minutes after being seated, one of the 15 or so idle staff members approached the table and informed us that because the chef has extreme scent sensitivities, it was being requested that we move to a table near an open window so that he didn't have to smell our perfume or cologne. A) perhaps he is in the wrong line of business, since many people who will walk in smell of all sorts of things and B) NEITHER OF US WERE WEARING ANY PERFUME OR COLOGNE. Fortunately, we left instead, leaving the sole table on their own in that crazy place. My impression is that the chef is a bit of a cuckoo who makes his terrified looking staff do his dirty (crazy) work. I don't wish people harm, but I must say, I am pretty confident that the people of this city will catch on to such an icky vibe. Oh, and for the people that work there... Control can be a subtle form of abuse!
(1)Madeline H.
As a person who's worked in the restaurant industry, I pay attention too and appreciate small details, the friendly greeting as soon as we walked in the door created a good first impression, no costumer should have to wait awkwardly for an acknowledgement, we were seated right away, our water was poured immediately afterwards into hand polished modern glasses actually the whole table looked very "hand polished" what w all the interesting condiments (Japanese white pepper, soy sauce, crushed chili powder, and one other sauce) each in it's own cute bowl. All perfectly organized and neat very nice. Our waitress came shortly after and described the menu with an articulate flair and gave us helpful suggestions, we ended up getting a sampler menu which included a variety of sushi to start, broiled eel my personal favorite was delicate and tender, ahi tuna roll was perfect as well as the salmon, next we tried the juicy pork goyza golden brown and perfectly salty next prawn and vegetable tempura w miso dipping sauce was a reason to return that in of itself. Next a yummy chicken kabob which was juicy and flavorful with a mayo/Spicy miso mustard dressing and cabbage salad added a nice eccentric twist, finally we ended the night w a bowl each of the ramen the name does not do this dish justice homemade broth w perectly done ramen noodles just a little al dente garnished with seaweed spices shredded cabbage and tossed with grilled chicken. Food earns 5 stars on its own easily however the service was impeccable and the ambiance even better! You will be seeing me again very soon.
(5)Christine M.
just awful
(1)Taira S.
Go for the ramen! The broth is oily, full bodied and flavorful. Oishi katta desu!
(4)