"We’ve eaten at Sushi Kashiba inside at a table for a big birthday dinner, outside on the courtyard for a $40 summer nigiri lunch, and waited two hours for a spot at the counter to get served by the owner and chef Shiro Kashiba himself. We can confirm—this is the best sushi restaurant in Seattle. If you’re new here, you might not know that Shiro was trained by Jiro Ono, one of the greatest sushi chefs alive (and the subject of a Netflix documentary). If you’re only going to do this Pike Place spot just once, wait it out, and secure a seat at the counter. You’ll get incredible pieces of nigiri, ranging from seared flounder fin to Norwegian smoked mackerel. For any special occasion that would warrant spending a couple of hundred dollars on raw fish, you will want to do it here. If you want a spot at the sushi counter, there are no reservations. For your best shot at a spot, you have to line up outside the restaurant before they open at 5pm (if you want to be first, start waiting at 3:30). Once they open, a host will tell you if you got a spot at the first seating or if you need to come back. For a regular table, Kashiba takes online reservations, with late-night availability starting about two weeks in advance and more flexibility if you book further out." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley, gabe guarente