Reviews

Based on 12 reviews

msongbird

Best authentic Japanese food in the Seattle area.

So nice to finally get authentic Japanese dining experience and I don't mean the sushi. Vi Bacchus offers authentic Japanese (Izakaya) version of the well known "tapas" so loved by many Seattle area diners. There are many Izakaya dishes to choose from and you will not be disappointed. The large variety and wonderful taste will make you feel that you have had a full meal, but with the joy of satisfying all your taste buds. You will enjoy all the famous Izakaya plates your heart desires. From Hiyayakko (chilled tofu topped with ginger and bonito flakes), to Kalaou (seaweed tossed with sesame and citrus dressing), to Agedashi tofu, Gyoza, Ika fry, Tempura, amazing edamame, several noodle dishes, delicious well prepared vegetables, beef tataki, oysters and muscles prepared in many different ways, and Tokyo style fried chicken to mention a few.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming especially with the vibrant characters and warmth of the owner, Takashi Nishioka (Taka) and his wife Emiko. They have an amazing talent preparing and presenting their delicious menu items. It is a great place for an intimate dinner date, or small group experience. Service is outstanding and portions are substantial.
There are many authentic Japanese beverages to compliment the food: Green tea, soft drinks, largest and best Sake selection, beer, wine, and amazing Japanese style vodka (Shochu).
If you are looking for exceptional sushi and sashimi, Vi Bacchus offers very fresh and large selection of all sorts of sushi plates. This is definitely one of the best in the Seattle area.
Best of all, their menu is priced affordably considering the overall experience and variety of foods to choose from.
I would recommend this place to all my friends, especially those who appreciate authentic eating and look for a unique experience.

posted at 03/23/08

ATinyPal

Not your Grandma's Tapas

I tried this restaurant at the recommendation of a friend, without knowing exactly what to expect ("It's like a sushi place, but better, just get one of everything..."). I'm pretty sick of Seattle's many mediocre sushi places, so I will admit I was somewhat hesitant. Turns out that all I ever want to eat for the rest of my life are the small plates they serve at Vi Bacchus.

Maybe you didn't know that the Japanese have their own version of insanely delicious fried chicken tenders called "Karaage;" or that calamari in the japanese style is not breaded but is in fact the tastiest thing you've ever eaten. Maybe you also didn't know that all of the Japanese style tapas at this place (actually the whole menu except the booze) is 50% off on Sundays. Regular prices are totally reasonable, and the quality of food is outstanding for the money.

And then there's the Shochu... again, I was skeptical, because I primarily drink alcohol in some sort of tasty cocktail preparation, never just straight up or on the rocks. Shochu is stronger than Sake, and has an incredibly clean, crisp finish. The kind distilled from barley has an earthy taste to it, and the one with coffee was surprisingly good.

Being a former Italian restaurant, remnants of the interior design just add some quirk to the place. The owner/chef and his wife are extremely warm and friendly and definitely make a really comfortable atmosphere of the place. Finally some amazing Seattle tapas without all the pretentious attitude!

posted at 03/24/08

justinvoskuhl

Unique Japanese food that isn't another sushi bar

If you've ever had street food in Japan then you know that Japanese food has so much more to it than the usual mix you see in America - sushi, sashimi, ramen and udon. Vi Bacchus offers such a huge variety of inexpensive Japanese street food that you can be a regular and never have the same thing twice. From takoyaki (Japanese octopus ballls) to poki (sesame flavored shopped raw tuna) Vi Bacchus has a ton of interesting Japanese food that you will enjoy sampling. Not to mention an unmatched sake menu. Vi Bacchus does offer sushi, which is quite good, but you should focus your dining experience on the exciting variety of street fare they offer - you won't be disappointed. It's as good as you can get outside of a Tokyo street fair.

posted at 04/16/08

girolama

Looks great but is disappointing

The menu was too mediocre and the portions were small.
Those creative sushi rools are what you often find at Koren places and not authentic Japanese style. And if you think Poki is Japanese food, it is not. It is Hawaiian and does not exist in Japan. Not worth going back.

posted at 10/05/08

Alkitodd

Authentic Japanese Bistro

Vi Bacchus is Great... It brings back Memories of my dinners in Tokyo. Owned by a wonderful Japanese Couple, they and the staff are great. If you are looking for teriyaki this is not the place... This is the place to sip sake and Kirin Beer with your friends and taste morsels of tasty treats like sushi, and other Japanese tapas styled food. This is an eat and drink establishment with great atmosphere and furnishings.
They encourage you to stay and converse over an eclectic menu of food and beverage. There is never a reason to leave or be in hurry to finish your meal. When I am looking for a unique and satisfying place to entertain friends...I lie to come here. They treat me like family...why go anywhere else.

posted at 10/08/08

Will2008

A Little Piece of Japan

This is a spendid place to satisfy a craving for authentic Japanese fare. The varied menu contains all the traditional items that I've come to expect from an Izakaya style restaurant. My personal favorites at Vi Bacchus include the fried chicken kara-age, the miso tofu steak and the delicious agedashi tofu.

Agedashi tofu is an item that I always order at an izakaya...it is rather like my personal yardstick to measure the quality of the food. The version at Vi Bacchus is especially delicate and flavorful. It is one of the best in the city, in my opinion.

I definitely recommend trying the seafood dish called Dynamite. The combination of seafood, hot/spicy chili and creamy sauce is unusual and very tasty.

Vi Bacchus has a nice array of beers an sakes available, including the cloudy nigori style that I love, but what really stands out is the great selection of shochu. So many Japanese restaurants in America only stock a couple shochus, usually rice-based. Vi Bacchus offers some real variety in this area, including shochu made with sweet potato and others made from barley. The sweet potato version is just lovely and perfectly accents the food.

The yakitori is always excellent too. My all-time favorite item, the chicken liver yakitori, is only offered on weekends (Friday and Saturday I believe) but it is well-worth the wait. You can order it with glazed with a slightly sweet sauce or with salt and pepper-either way it is just fantastic. The chicken skin yakitori is really delicious too.

Of course, the requisite specialty rolls are on hand. The Crazy Horse, containing shrimp and three kinds of fish plus avacado, tends to be my regular. On special occasions I get the Queen Union, which features seared tuna and a marvelously creamy ponzu/avocado sauce.

And in the best Japanese tradition, the service is super efficient and perfectly friendly and welcoming. The only bad thing about this joint is that it makes me miss being in Japan!

posted at 10/08/08

montyhouse

Possibly the best in the city

At first glance, I wondered if Vi Bacchus had a bit of an identity problem - a posh Japanese restaurant, sporting a Greek name, housed in a former Italian restaurant, playing French electro-jazz, with both Japanese and American waitstaff, all of whom I think are bi-lingual, speaking back and forth to each other in both languages. What's going on here? (rhetorical question)

What's going on here is the true share-and-share-alike spirit of an izakaya - a place to unwind, a steady parade of food, a generous helping of drinks, and a river of conversation. If you've never been to an izakaya, a Japanese-style pub, the idea is to partake in a bit of everything. I've found that the spirit of Vi Bacchus is in nudging diners to try something new. If you're looking for value, the bargain prices will urge you towards the traditional izakaya foods, and if you're looking for sushi, you'll find bursting rolls that are wild, original creations. If you're curious about what all these strange dishes are about, simply ask the waitstaff; I've been talked into all sorts of crazy tastes I never would've tried (okonomiyaki! shochu! the Dynamite! takoyaki!).

The head chef is from the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and the kitchen staff churns out perfect plates endlessly. If you're willing to stray from the "house sake" standby, Vi Bacchus has an extensive menu of choices, and they were willing and eager to give me a personalized sake lesson to help me pick the perfect drink.

When it's slow, this is a great date place, but can also accomodate large groups. On some of the busy nights, I've found the clientle split pretty evenly between Americans and Japanese, heard excited conversations in both English and Japanese floating in the air, and a rising tide of energy as the workday is left behind. This might be the most resounding endorsement: if the Japanese themselves are heading to Vi Bacchus, maybe the rest of us should follow their lead. Kanpai!

posted at 10/08/08

tmcamg

Great food, prompt service!

My boyfriend and i frequent this restaurant and i thought it best to give them a raving review! The restaurant is small, which allows for quick and prompt service b/c the servers can see you! The food is excellent, there's so much on the menu that we get a chance to order something different each time. The sake is AWESOME! It's a bit on the pricey side so if you go during their happy hour, you only pay half price - not a bad deal! The sushi is yummy - I highly recommend their Unagi, it simply melts in your mouth!

posted at 11/26/08

Rsimoni

Great Sushi for quality service!

I really love the atmosphere and the fast and friendly service. The sushi and sake was awesome just what I expected and leaving me wanting more.

posted at 02/02/09

AleGarcia10

Beware of the High rating...

Food is amazing.. We went there as two people and the waitress was more interested in nagging us to get an order in, rather than being able to answer questions.... Had to ask for water most of the time... Wanted to sit a a table that was completely open an available and she said it was reserved.. LIE.. we were there until the place closed the kitchen, no one sat there..... Asked to have one of the appetizers to go and there is absolutely no to go boxes for anything except sushi!! Even if you couldnt eat the whole thing at the restaurant they wouldnt give you a to go box ......Thats crazy talk!!!! and to close the service complaint... This was on a sunday and they advertise HALF Prize appetizers on Sundays and we had to pay full price.. All In all Very deceiving service. VERY .. I dont complaint much if at all at restaurants.. i know people work hard for their money but this was crazy bad treatment.. Im sorry. Good food. Service treatment way DOWN!!!!

Good Luck.

posted at 05/24/09

everThine84

Vi Bacchus KNOWS their sushi~

I have been familiar with this cozy sushi bistro for about 4 years now and from the day I discovered it I have referenced many friends to this business to hold their parties. I am a total food connoisseur and have a some food industry back ground myself. When I found Vi bacchus, I knew it had great potential and the moment I tried the sushi at this place, I knew the chef was no amateur. So everyone else I have recommended this place to have all rave about the same thing: the food is GREAT. You find quality and skill in the food and the prices are exceptionally reasonable. Recently, I finally had a chance to organize my own party at Vi Bacchus and I was more than excited. I had a party for about 20+ people and organized the event with my planner so that things will go smoothly for the restaurant and my guests. Embarrassingly on my part, I was late to two occasions with the restaurant (the meeting to set up a menu and the actual party), but they owners were still quite accommodating. I would say, however, that more professionalism and courtesy may have left a more lasting impression on me and my guests. there were many times when my party guests felt bad to ask for anything from the waitress because she was so busy and only came by to drop off food. Since America is all about preference, of course my guests and I wanted to ask for a little more of this or that so that the food is accentuated according to each individual's taste, but it was a little difficult to do. It's understandable, though, since there was only one person working the front. The business cannot rely on the quality of food alone, though, especially when America is all about customer service so I do hope that they will make improvements in that. Nonetheless, I have no complaints and will continue to have parties and dinners at Vi Bacchus. Before judging the cold exterior the chef and waitress seem to have, get to know them! They're very nice people! I highly recommend the Crazy Horse roll, the Kara-age chicken and the Umeshu Shochu I think i spelled that right. ^^ I have an upcoming staff meeting with my colleagues (who are also foodies :) ) and I'm already planning on holding this occasion at Vi Bacchus! So please don't be turned off by the customer service as I'm sure they are still learning the etiquettes and customs as business owners and running one in Seattle :) If this place should ever close, I would be devastated as I would have to venture out again to find a decent sushi place. I understand many people stop going to certain restaurants due to poor service, but Vi Bacchus is not run by staff who do not care about their customers so keep going! I'm sure you'll witness continuous improvements and progress as I have over the many years!

posted at 10/20/09

user2008

Great food and Awesome Service!

My husband and I love this place! And we are very picky... ;-) We have one more all time favorite place so far, which is La Rustica in West Seattle, but that's about it. The customer service these days is really bad...and it can totally ruin even the best food.

This place is great in all aspects. We always get a great service. Waiters/waitresses are polite and very welcoming!

We recommend this place to all our friends!

posted at 11/11/09

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Vi Bacchus Sake Bar & Bistro

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msongbird

ATinyPal

justinvoskuhl

girolama

Alkitodd

Will2008

montyhouse

tmcamg

Rsimoni

AleGarcia10

everThine84

user2008

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Vi Bacchus Sake Bar & Bistro