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Monthly Archives: November 2019

Our Favorite Seattle Breakfast Spots

With two little ones under the age of three, we’ve had a lot of early mornings where the whole family is awake.  In many of these instances, we’ve decided to treat ourselves and go out for breakfast, so we’ve visited a lot of spots over the years. Seattle has some really great breakfast spots and people ask us what our favorite restaurants are all the time.

In order to be eligible for our list of Favorite Seattle Breakfast Spots, the restaurant has to be open for weekday breakfasts. There are a lot of restaurants that only serve breakfast on the weekends. None of those places make the list. A true breakfast spot serves breakfast everyday.

Without further ado, here are our Favorite Seattle Breakfast Restaurants.

  1. Wandering Goose(RIP 2020)-Eating here is a treat. It feels like your eating at a farmhouse. House-made pastries and Southern-inspired meals!
  2. Stone Way Cafe– We’ve been here at least 12 times. Spacious with lots of seats. Great food options. A really relaxed and casual atmosphere.
  3. Senor Moose– This is the Seattle Godfather of Mexican food. Always crowded, but for a reason-tasty dishes not only breakfast, but lunch & dinner.
  4. Toulouse Petit-Cajun-influenced and home of the famous Pork Cheeks Confit Hash. Trip Advisor named it their 5th Favorite Restaurant in the US and 10th in the world!
  5. Watson’s Counter– Newly opened. Intimate and modern. Great coffee drinks. Limited menu, but that Loco Moco though!
  6. Seattle Biscuit Co.– It’s got that shack in the swamp feel to it. Southern raised owners put their spin on fried chicken and waffles, biscuit sandwiches and grits with pulled pork. Make sure your stomach is empty when you come, you’ll need the space.
  7. Porkchop & Co.– Bright, airy and casual. Wide variety of foods French, Mediterranean, Asian, American. They smoke, cure, pickle and preserve everything in house. Impressive.
  8. The 5 Spot– It’s been a Seattle mainstay for so long, we take it for granted, but cavernous space for Seattle. Has a real diner feel. They specialize in American food, but have a roaming menu, so you’ll be assured of something different on every visit.  Their Big Nashty fried chicken sandwich ain’t no joke.
  9. Portage Bay Cafe– According to Lyft, Portage Bay Cafe has more driver requests than any other breakfast spot in Seattle. The constant line of people waiting outside for a seat is proof of their popularity. Locally sourced ingredients. Super family friendly. Claim to fame: their bottomless breakfast bar of fruits, nuts, butter, syrup and sugars.
  10. Easy Street Records & Cafe – Review forthcoming. Such a cool place. A cafe in a record store. Hilariously named music inspired dishes.
  11. Brother Joe– This was a new discovery for us in the Georgetown area. Inventive coffee drinks. Surprisingly delicious variation of a loco moco and chile verde. We loved the playful human-like animal portraits.
  12. Square Knot Diner-Right down the street from Brother Joe. This was our traditional breakfast spot when going to Seatac airport. Friendly staff. Straight forward breakfast fare. U-shaped counter harkens back to old time diner.  On more than a few occasions, jazz is being played, which is perfect for this laid back diner. Great corned beef hash and their cinnamon roll is a monster.
  13. Fat Hen– Get there early. This place is tiny, but mighty. Get ready to post that Alla Boscaiola on Instagram. Their fried chicken sandwich ain’t no slouch either. One of those places that feels like it’s for locals only.
  14. Citizen Cafe– This is the most underrated on the list. Don’t hear people talking about this place. An old fire station turned into a café/restaurant.  They have French toast, farmers breakfast, scrambles, breakfast sandwiches, but we really enjoyed their breakfast tacos-the Korexican, a Korean/Mexican fushion and the pulled pork.
  15. Sazon Kitchen– Another new comer that just opened. Mexican cuisine with what seems like 20 ingredients in each dish. The décor isn’t much, but the food is outstanding.  The grain casserole is like nothing we’ve ever tasted. Too of their other dishes we enjoyed was the shredded beef and eggs and the Rox’s signature eggs with tortilla, ham, beans and a billion other ingredients.
  16. Varsity Inn– A traditional American diner with a secret Mexican breakfast menu. Super friendly servers. We’ve had the shredded beef enchiladas, beef fajita omelette and carnitas w/tomatillo sauce. Shhhh. None are on the written menu. Also, order the cinnamon roll. You won’t be sorry.
North Star Diner
North Star Diner – Chicken FriedSteak
Glo's Cafe
Glo’s Cafe – Belgian Waffle w/fresh fruit
The Dish
The Dish
Biscuit Bitch, Our Favorite Seattle Breakfast Spots
Biscuit Bitch – Hot Mess Bitch
Bang Bang Cafe burrito, Our Favorite Seattle Breakfast Spots
Bang Bang Cafe – Green Chile Chicken Burrito
  • Haven’t Visited Yet: Nue, Meet the Moon, Café Presse.

Thanks for reading Our Favorite Seattle Breakfast Spots blog post.

Related:

Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt

Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt

  

Description on  Lighthouse Roaster’s website : One of Seattle’s original roaster cafes, Lighthouse has spent more than twenty years creating a loyal following of coffee lovers by treating the coffee buying, roasting and drink-making as a noble calli

Description on  Caffe Ladro’s website :  Caffe Ladro Ravenna joins a thriving neighborhood; it is situated on the corner of 65th Street and Brooklyn Avenue. Stop in for the modern vibe and enjoy amazing coffee at one of the windows, or outside in one of the Adirondack chairs. If you’re seeking excellent Ravenna coffee, sample any of Ladro’s signature drinks (Medici, Gibraltar, or Shakerato), try one of their house-baked pastries, or take some beans to brew at home.

Address:1222 NE 65th St Suite 103, Seattle, WA 98115

What we ate/drank: Gibraltar, Mocha, Bacon & Caramelized Onion Quiche, Ham and Cheese Croissant, Medici

Bacon & Caramelized Onion Quiche

            

Comments: They call it Caffe Ladro – Ravenna on their website but it’s actually located in Roosevelt. Like other new additions to the Roosevelt neighborhood,  Santo Coffee and Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt, this Caffe Ladro is located on the ground floor of a brand new apartment building. This one being Brooklyn 65th.

Caffe Ladro is probably our favorite coffee purveyor in Seattle, so we were thrilled when one opened in our neighborhood. They are now up to 16 locations in the greater Seattle area, so it’s easy to get the benefits of their coffee card program where you get two free drinks for every 10 you purchase.

They have a limited amount of pastries that become half price after 4:00pm.

Here are reviews of some of the other Caffe Ladro locations:

The Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt location is on par with some of the smaller Ladro locations like Union Street, Lower Queen Anne and Pine Street.  Although it’s small in size, it still manages to have a little living room area, an L shape counter and one 4 seat table in the middle

Caffe Ladro

More than any other Caffe Ladro, the Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt location really emphasizes the use of it’s outdoor space.   There’s gotta be at least 20 Adirondack chairs in front of the store as well as a bench seating.  The Adirondack chair is a staple of many of the Caffe Ladro in the area -Fremont, Upper Queen Anne, Lower Queen Anne locations have them, but only a few. 

Caffe Ladro
Outside Seating-adirondacks and benches

The Caffe Ladro – Roosevelt is a good grab-and-go spot. It opens early at 6:00am. It’s not a place I’d stay and do work on a laptop. The way most of their seating is arranged your back is exposed and people can see what you’re working on. It shouldn’t be a big deal, but I like having my back against a wall for some privacy. They say this is why dogs often sleep against big objects or prefer enclosed places-too protect their back. I guess I’m the same way. 

Medici
Ham & Cheese Croissant

Ratings(1-5)

Favorite Thing:  The over 20 adirondack chairs and outdoor space

Atmosphere: 4.00

Service: 4.75

Food Options: 4.00

Overall: 4.25

Eavesdropping  Convo:  None

Related:

Skillet Diner

Skillet Diner

Recommended by: The last time we met up for brunch with some local friends at Portage Bay Cafe, they mentioned Skillet Diner as having the same type of vibe and also having great brunches.

Skillet Store Front

Description on the Skillet Diner’s website: The award-winning Skillet Diner opened in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle in 2011. We’re a neighborhood joint doing our best to make the place feel relaxed, service attentive and easy, and the food approachable yet focused. We use fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and continually redefine the meaning of comfort.

Neighborhood/Type:  Capitol Hill

Address: 1400 E Union St #4150, Seattle, WA 98122

What we ate/drank:  Breakfast Burrito -fried chicken, three eggs scrambled, cheddar, hand-cut fries, pico de gallo, flour tortilla. Deconstructed Corned Beef Hash-brisket, roasted potatoes and carrots, onions, fennel, two eggs*. Kids pancakes and fruit.

Comments:  Skillet Diner has been around since 2011 and before that it was food truck, an Airstream Trailer called, Skillet Street Food since 2007. It’s located in Capitol Hill, so parking can be a bitch, but we luckily found street parking across the street. Tall ceilings  make the space seem spacious and the open kitchen gives the space energy.  Like a traditional diner, there’s lots of counter seating, but also a lot of booths.

Skillet counter

I can see why our friends we met at Portage Bay recommended Skillet Diner. Their interiors are very similar-the lighting, the casual family atmosphere, the décor.   There’s a random piece of art hanging on the back wall with John F Kennedy looking out the back of a bus. I was curious, so I asked our server about it, but he didn’t know anything about it.

Your utensils and napkin are placed in mason jars, which are then used as your water glass. You’re also provided a dedicated water bottle, so you don’t have to wait for your server to refill your water.  Caffé Vita is served here, so a win there.

Skillet mug

My wife got the breakfast burrito, which includes fried chicken, three eggs scrambled, cheddar, hand-cut fries, pico de gallo, flour tortilla.  We liked the inclusion of the fried chicken. For normal breakfast burritos you normally get bacon, sausage or sometimes shredded beef. Having fried chicken was a nice change. The hand-cut fries were too over-seasoned and almost impossible to eat because it was too spicy.

Skillet Breakfast Burrito
Breakfast Burrito
fried chicken, three eggs scrambled, cheddar, hand-cut fries, pico de gallo, flour tortilla

I got the Deconstructed Corned Beef Hash, which includes brisket, roasted potatoes and carrots, onions, fennel, two over easy eggs.  The pieces of vegetable and meat were a bit large, but tasty. Now, Seattle brunch spots have a strong “hash” game in this town. Portage Bay Cafe‘s  Farmer’s Hash, Toulouse Petit‘s Cured Pork Cheeks Confit Hash, Porkchop & Co.‘s Kimchi & Steak Hash and Roxy’s Diner‘s Pastrami Hash all come to mind. If I’m garding on the curve I would put Skillet Diner’s Deconstructed Corned Beef Hash in the middle of the pack. The Seattle hash game is fierce. It’s sorta like being in the SEC in college football.

Skillet Beef Hash
Deconstructed Corned Beef Hash-brisket, roasted potatoes and carrots, onions, fennel, two eggs*

Our daughter got the pancakes and fresh fruit from the kids menu, so happy camper in the house!

Skillet Kids Pancake
Kids Pancake & Fruits

We’ve also had the fried chicken and waffles which is also quite good.

Service gave us recommendations, came around frequently for coffee refills and chased after us out the door when we forgot our to go box of leftovers.

Skillet Diner counter

They also have locations in South Lake Union, the Seattle Center and Seatac Airport. Surprisingly, they closed their Ballard location after the building they were in flooded.  Skillet Diner is a bit out of the way for us at the border of Capitol Hill and the Central District, but it’s a good brunch alternative if we are in the area. It’s also nice to know you have a good local option in touristy Seattle Center and Seatac airport.

Ratings:

Atmosphere: 4.50

Service: 5.00

Food/Drinks: 4.00

Bang for the Buck: 4.00

Overall: 4.40

 

Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.

    • Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
    • Most locals know about it
    • Locals “in the know” know about it
    • Only those who live close by know about it.
    • You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!

Servers customer recommendations to visit in the future: We mentioned to the customer next to us that we were at Skillet early in the morning, because our daughters woke up early. They mentioned that Lost Lake Cafe down the road is actually open 24 hours so if they wake up really early, this could be an option.

Related Articles:

Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt

Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt

Armistice Coffee

Description on  Armistice Coffee’s website:Her dream was big but the journey was long, pulling hundreds of thousands of shots and waking up earlier than the rooster for years, she pushed on and overcame. Now in the role of head roaster, manager, and basically everything else Rebecca Smith has been running Armistice Coffee for 1 year and has two locations in Seattle.

Neighborhood:Roosevelt

Address: 6717 Roosevelt Way NE UNIT A, Seattle, WA 98115

Music Playing:  Poison by Brent Faiyaz

What we ate/drank: Cortado, 12 oz Americano, blueberry scone, ham & Swiss croissant, mocha, mighty o sprinkle doughnut

Comments:  This is the 2ndlocation for Armistice Coffee in addition to their other location in Eastlake.  Some of the observations we made in our review of the Eastlake locations was that we felt it wasnt really conducive to working on a laptop due to the limited work style seating. The Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt has no such restrictions.

Mighty O sprinkle doughnut and a Cortado.

It has a multitude of seating areas and types of seating areas. It has counter seating near the serving area, counter seating looking out on Roosevelt, individual tables, a community table with two separate outdoor seating area, one that includes a fire pit.   

Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt is located on the ground floor of the brand new Lucille on Roosevelt apartments, so they probably had complete control of the design, which we really like.  We’ve already mentioned the variety of seating, but take a look at our photos and you can see the details. Chic modern lighting, outdoor lighting that from a distance look like fireflies, being surrounded on all four sides by windows,  the coffee roasting equipment on display.

My understanding is that as of now, the roaster is not being used. The cashier mentioned that an alteration may need to be made for exhaust purposes but she wasnt really sure.   I think its a real treat when you get to witness the roasting process at places like Herkimer Coffee, Elm Coffee Roasters, Lighthouse Coffee Roasters and Victrola Coffee Roasters.  I think its really a great Seattleexperience for visitors who come form areas that dont have local coffee roasters like we do in coffee-centric Seattle.

Armistice Coffee - Roosevelt

Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt also sells alcoholic drinks- wine, beer, sipping tequilla, whiskeys(Basil Hayden, Jameson, Glenlivet 12 yr) and a few simple mixed drinks such as gin and tonic, vodka and soda and Irish coffee.

Ham & Swiss Croissant & Mocha

They also have croissants, muffins, scones, quiches, and a few pre-made sandwiches and salads from White Knuckle.  Sign say Mon-Fri 6-10 and Sat and Sun 7-10, so open pretty late.

The music they’ve played during our visits are pretty soothing music. Examples –  Escape by Kehlani,Tainted by Alina Baraz, Apple Juice by Jessie Reyez.

On a few of my visits the wifi has been a little inconsistent, so take note if you intend to work there and need to Facetime/Skype.

Ratings(1-5)

Favorite Thing: The various seating areas both inside and out.

Atmosphere:  4.75

Service: 4.75

Food Options: 4.75

Overall: 4.75

Eavedropping  Convo: Two guys sitting next to each other on separate tables with their laptops. Seems like they might be acquaintances who see each other at Armistice Coffee – Roosevelt a lot and might recognize each other and make small talk. Both made business calls while we were there, so this might be one of their working spaces.

Guy 1(G1) – Check out this thing I just got on Amazon.

Guy2(G2) – Looks over. Whoa, that’s pretty cool! And wow, it’s a pretty reasonable price.

G1 – Oh, man. It’s not reasonable. This is cheap!

G2 – The next time my mom orders something on Amazon, I’ll ask her to add one to her cart for me. I don’t have an account, so I just use hers and pay her back.

G1- Dude, you gotta get on that! Prime is so cheap and they deliver to your doorstep in one day! Don’t put your poor mom through that – ordering, paying and handing the packages. C’mon.

 

Related:

Junebaby – The Hype is Real!

Junebaby – The Hype is Real!

Recommended by: When doing some research on Kamonegi I noted that it was named one of the Top 50 New Restaurants in Bon Appetit Magazine in July. Another Seattle restaurant on this list was Junebaby.  Not only that but Chef Owner of Junebaby won two James Beard Awards for Best Chef : Northwest, but also Best New Restaurant. This was not Best New Restaurant in Seattle, but in the entire US!

Junebaby

Description on the Junebaby website: Food with Roots – Southern food’s humble beginnings embarked when West Africans were taken from their home and were forced across the middle passage to North America. The term soul food originated during American slavery to not only describe a type of cuisine but also a period of time of oppression and overcoming hardships. It is traditionally cooked and eaten by African Americans of the Southern United States and merges influences from West Africa, Western Europe, and North America. As a result, America’s culinary history was built on corn, rice, peas, and the hog; many of the ingredients associated with Southern food.

Neighborhood/Type:  Ravenna

Address: 2122 NE 65th Street, Seattle, WA 98115

What we ate/drank:   Chicken Gizzards & buttermilk dressing  $9, Pulled Pork with pikliz, Carolina vinegar sauce & aioli  $12, Fried Catfish with pickled onion & tartar sauce $12, Chitlins & rice -$7.

Junebaby
Bar seating

Comments:   This post should have been written probably a year and a half ago.  That’s when the Edouardo Jordan hype was in full effect.  Chef Jordan is the owner chef of Junebaby.   Salare, his other restaurant had been open since 2015 in a rather odd place, the Ravenna neighborhood which will never be confused with the restaurant-centric neighborhoods of Capitol Hill, SLU or Ballard. Salare had received much acclaim, so when news got out that Chef Jordan was opening another restaurant on the same street, the anticipation was built up.

Junebaby
Counter seating

As soon as Junebaby opened accolades and four star food critic reviews from all over the country started piling up. From the very beginning, lines formed daily.

We don’t really need to go on about the food being good, do we?

Junebaby 

Here are some of the reasons that make Junebaby special:

  • I think part of its appeal of Junebaby also had to do with a lack of Southern food in Seattle. Coastal Kitchen comes to mind, but definitely not many.
  • They don’t take reservations unless you are a group of 8 or more, so if you really wanted to and came early enough you could get a seat for this renowned restaurant. If you want it bad enough, you can eat here and not have to wait months due to reservations being booked up.
  • Junebaby’s quality dishes has “Special Occasion” written all over it due to all it’s awards, but the spot has a very unpretentious atmosphere you might not expect. It feels like home. It doesn’t have that modern, sleek decor like some of the other popular new places like Sawyer, Cortina, Archipelego or Copine. Junebaby is relaxing.
  • Along the same line as the above. They are located in Ravenna, a quiet little neighborhood not known as a food mecca. I’ve read articles where Chef Jordan wanted to have restaurants that were accessible to the community and families. And Ravenna is family-central and close to us! Woot Woot! He really took a risk opening up his restaurants in an out-of-the-way area. It shows great confidence in his abilities that if he builds it, they will come.
  • Check out the encyclopedia on their website. I’ve provided links in our meal description.  It not only gives information about the food at Junebaby, but also foods from all over.

Junebaby
Fried Catfish with pickled onion & tartar sauce $12. Score( 5.0 /5.0)

Junebaby
Pulled Pork with pikliz, Carolina vinegar sauce & aioli $12. Score( 5.0 /5.0)

Junebaby
Chicken Gizzards & buttermilk dressing $9. Score( 4.5/5.0)

Junebaby
Chitlins & rice $7. Score( 4.75 /5.0)

A couple more details about Junebaby

  • They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Wed through Friday they serve dinner only. On Saturday and Sunday, they serve lunch from 11-3pm and have something called, Moonshine Hour from 3-5pm. This is when they are prepping between lunch and dinner and are only serving a limited food menu.
  • They have a 20% service charge and they are very transparent about how this is split up, which we appreciate.  62.5% is distributed as gratuity to employees directly serving guests. 20% is distributed to employees not directly serving guests. The remaining 17.5% is retained by the house to provide higher wages and benefits.
  • On certain nights, they have special dishes.
    • Wednesdays – Turkey Leg

    • Thursdays – Mac n’ Cheese with Newsom’s Ham

    • Fridays – Brisket Dinner

    • Saturdays – BBQ Dinner

    • Sundays – JuneBaby’s Fried Chicken

  • Chef Jordan’s has two other establishments, Salare and Lucinda Grain Bar, located on the same street as June Baby.

2021 Updates: Take out from June Baby

Fried Chicken Sandwich – Buttermilk brined chicken thigh fried & seasoned with cajun spice on a challah bun. Toppings include sweet onion, comeback sauce, & bread & butter pickled cucumber. Fried potatoes with aji crystal chili & herbs on the side.-$16

Pulled Pork Sandwich – Applewood Smoked Pulled Pork topped with pikliz & Carolina Gold bbq sauce on a challah bun. Fried potatoes with aji crystal chili & herbs on the side. -$14

Daufuskie Island Crab Rice – Specialty Gullah-style rice with tempura fried blue crab, bacon, smoked tomato, & crispy garlic. -$16

Ratings

Atmosphere: 4.75

Service: 5.00

Food/Drinks: 4.75

Bang for the Buck: 5.00

Overall: 4.85

Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.

    • Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
    • Most locals know about it
    • Locals “in the know” know about it
    • Only those who live close by know about it.
    • You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!

Servers recommendations to visit in the future:  Waiter talked about going to a restaurant that was $1000 but it was his dream and he saved up to do it.

Related Articles:

Tamari Bar – Izakaya in Capitol Hill

Tamari Bar

Recommended by: After a reader read our post about Kokkaku they suggested another upscale Japanese restaurant, Tamari Bar.  Took us a year to get out there, but we finally tried it.

Tamari Bar Store Front

Description on the Tamari Bar’s website:  No comments, but their Instagram says, “Capitol Hill’s IZAKAYA, “Japanese Tavern &Eats”

Neighborhood/Type:  Capitol Hill

Address: 500 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122

What we ate/drank: Shokado Bento Box, The Rockin’ Wagyu Beef, Sashimi 7 Sampler, Seafood Bibimbap, Sapporo Beers.

Comments:  The presentation of the dishes that we ordered at Tamari Bar are so beautiful that it’s almost as if the owner said, “Let’s create some dishes that will be plastered all over Instagram!”

Tamari Bar is right down the street from their sister restaurant, Suika, on Pine Street in Capitol Hill. The space is rather oddly shaped. It has a patio in front, a huge bar area and some tables and a couple seating compartments on a second level.

We started out with the The Rockin’ Wagyu Beef, which is served with a smooth hot rock that you put the pieces of raw thin zabuton on to cook. The thin pieces of wagyu beef cook very quickly, so no worries about the rock cooling down before you can cook all of it. The beef is served with a Japanese bbq sauce, garlic flakes, wasabi.  This is a fun dish with the novelty of cooking on a sizzling rock. Be careful not to overcook which will keep the beef tender and tasty.

Rockin' Wagyu Beef
The Rockin’ Wagyu Beef. Score (4.75/5.0)

Next up was the Shoka-do Bento Box, which is limited to a certain count every evening. This was surely the highlight of the night. There are a total of nine squares with each being the perfect size for two bites, making it the perfect date night dish. You get nine different dishes, nine different flavors.  It’s fun having so many choices at once and then discussing which are your favorites. Or both of you can try each grid at the same time and discuss after each tasting.

Shokado Bento Box

From the top and left to right with scores out of 5:

  • Fried Crispy Salmon(4.25), Wagyu Beef Tataki(4.5) , Potato Salad (4.0)
  • Aburi Scallop Carpaccio(4.5), Tamari Bar Sushi Roll(4.5), Aburi Salmon(4.5)
  • Fried Oyster(5.0), Zuke Maguro(marinated)-(3.0), Tuna Tatsuta(fried)-(5.0)

Each appetizer was beautifully presented and each had at least 5 different ingredients and it was a good mixture of fried and raw.  We just really enjoyed this concept.

On the way to our table we saw another table had the Seafood Bibimbap with seared salmon, salmon caviar, salmon flakes, umami soy, sea urchin(uni), butter on rice and knew we had to try it. Like traditional bibimbap, it’s served in a hot stone bowl and was mixed on our behalf by the server.  It turned into more of a fried rice than a bibimbap but we were surprised even after all the mixing of the ingredients you could really taste the uni, one of our favorites.

Seafood Bibimap
Seafood Bibimbap. Score (4.25/5.0)

The Sashimi 7 Sampler is the most photogenic of the dishes. It’s presented on a wooden staircase with garnishes of ikura, tobiko, cucumber and onion. What can you say about fresh sushi? You can’t beat it. If I could change one thing, I’d swap out the octopus for another fish sashimi. Just a personal preference.

Sashimi 7 Sampler-
Sashimi 7 Sampler. Score (4.75 /5.0)

From bottom to the top -Mackerel, Shrimp(Ama Ebi),Tako, Hamachi, Scallop, Tuna, Salmon.

It appears they put just as much effort into their cocktails, but we just had pints of Sapporo.  Their sake list is extensive as you might have guessed.

Tamari Bar inside

Our server told us we got 3 of the 4 most popular dishes. The only one we didn’t get was the Aburi Wagyu+Uni Nigiri Sushi, nicknamed the The Best Bite, which we’ll be sure to get on our return visit.  Some other interesting dishes we’d like to order on our next trip to Tamari Bar are Crazy Journey, which is their spicy fried chicken and the Dan Dan Ramen, which they call, The Living Legend. Got to give Tamari Bar credit for over-the-top dish names.

Tamari Bar - Bar

The proof is in the pudding when it comes to Tamari Bar dish presentations. Instagram is littered with photos of the 7 Tier Sashimi, the Shoka-Do Bento Box and Rockin’ Marinated Wagyu Beef. But the dishes are just not pretty pictures, there’s substance behind it. All are tasty, the Rockin’ Marinated Wagyu Beef is fun, we love the variety the Shoka-Do Bento Box provides and the 7 Tier Sashimi is memorable for it’s unique presentation.

Ratings:

Atmosphere: 4.25

Service: 4.50

Food/Drinks: 4.75

Bang for the Buck: 4.25

Overall: 4.40

 

Locals Only Factor: “Locals Only” grading-We’ll assign a grading as to how “local” a place is.

    • Well known or Touristy. Most locals don’t go there unless they have business dinners or visitors in town.
    • Most locals know about it
    • Locals “in the know” know about it
    • Only those who live close by know about it.
    • You’re in on the secret. Don’t tell anybody!

Servers recommendations to visit in the future:   

Related Articles: