Reviews of Watami Sushi (Restaurant)

Jing G

Even in a town with lots of sushi options, I have to honestly say that this is my favourite sushi spot. I'm typically more of a fan of AYCE sushi, but Watami definitely left a great first impression since I've tried them. Everything is always very fresh (especially the fish), and dishes are very creative. My favourite is their Salmon Lover bento (pic attached - only on their lunch menu!!), but they certainly have other amazing options as well for dinner. Price is very reasonable given their food quality, but I guess as a result, I find that it typically takes them some time to get you your food. Still 5 stars overall!

Jonah Istifan

So happy to see they're back in town! Fantastic food and great service.

Sa Hua

We have been here multiple times and the food quality is consistently phenomenal. Every dish really shows the care that the chef has put into it. The Nigiri set is amazing with some of the richest fish cuts I have ever tasted. …

Peter Thurley

Best sashimi in town, very thick fresh pieces with real wasabi. Not the best rolls, I would not get the tex Mex roll

Wojciech Golab

Such a great place for sushi. I normally get the bento box and have only been for lunch. I really want to go there for dinner and have a whole fish. Totally on the bucket list.

Melissa Salcedo

We ordered take-out (the 40 piece platter) a few nights ago and the freshness and quality of dining-in were maintained. The sashimi portions were generous with delicious variety. The take-out process was easy - call, order, request delivery, all directly through the restaurant. Very impressed and happy for a sushi fix!!

Mel Roman

Best high-end sushi/sashimi in town off the dinner menu

L_ L

Excellent quality, clean and eye catching presentation. Would definitely go again!

Maciej Ogrocki

Dine in

Mariam Javed

The best Japanese restaurant in Waterloo! Try the Jade roll if you’re trying to eat less carbs, lots of vegetarian options from Udon to rolls. The sparkling sake is delicious! Closest parking is behind the BMO bank on King and Erb.

Terry Bricker

We had the blue fin tuna nigiri and the blow-torch smoked salmon sushi and it was UNREAL. Absolutely delicious. HIGHLY recommend!!

Jeff Melo

Amazing, fresh sushi. The place is a bit small, but the staff are very friendly and the fish is just fantastic. Best quality I've had in KW bar none

Christophe Gaboury

The Ice & Fire roll and the blue fin tuna were truly amazing! The assorted nigiri is also delicious, worth the trip to Waterloo!!

Christina Gayle

Best sushi in town, a tad pricy but well worth

K W

This is the best Japanese restaurant in the Kitchener Waterloo area. Their price is reasonable for the quality. I love the mix bento and sashimi bento from the lunch menu. Sashimi is very fresh and so yummy. There are more choices on the dinner menu. From appetizers to deserts, everything is worth tasting. My favourite sushi roll from the menu is Ice and Fire. They also offer whole fish (fresh and raw), and these are good choice if you have something to celebrate...and don't forget to order a sake to go with it. :-)

NANCY YE

Cosy atmosphere, really good sushi and great service

Leyla Polivanova

Great sushi! Well-presented and generous portions. Beats local all-you-can sushi restaurants hands down.

Florian Istrate

Loved the place, and food was really nice :) thank you ☺️

Michael Chang

Had a great experience here. The servers were very nice and the food was delicious. Best sushi I've had in a while.

Duncan Uszkay

Spectacular authentic Japanese restaurant on the main drag in Waterloo. Parking is a bit of a pain but worth the aggravation.

Felix Chui

Looks like this place closed and re-opened. So, while the name is the same, discard the older reviews. Beautiful interior and atmosphere, really captures a great mood and feel. Big windows facing the street makes for lots of natural light. The food is delicious, and creative, featuring special imports of exotic fish. Staff is delightful and pleasant, highly recommend.

Tricia Kopec

Clean, friendly service and sushi was very good quality. I had the mixed bento and I was not disappointed. I’m always a little hesitant with sashimi but the quality was great. Price vs quality is also reasonable imo. Definitely recommend and will return.

Benjamin Sung

Nothing special. Had the pork cutlet, I've had far better. Just wasn't delicious. The rice was dry tasting like after its been cooked then refrigerated. Nice little place though with good atmosphere, but the food kinda sucks. Wouldn't come back.

Jenny G

I like the food. However, this place is so chaotic during the rush dinner period. Please come up with some sort of system so you can sit people properly. We did walk out once because they were seating the other group before us (same number and they were there after us).

Khrystine Waked

Went there with a couple of friends and it exceeded all of our expectations. It is a bit pricier, but we were all able to share a few appetizers, rolls, miso, a full sashimi platter, and dessert for about $50 each and left satisfied. The atmosphere is cozy and the staff is great. We'll definitely be going back to try some of their features and whole fresh fish. Would highly recommend

Shannon Bokowski

The items are rather pricey considering the portion sizes, but in this case you are getting what you pay for. The sushi is incredibly fresh and made with what appears to be a high grade fish. The service is very fast and curtious as well. The atmosphere is very chic and fun and the food presentation is great. They paid a lot of attention to detail with this re opening and it shows. Loved what I got and will go again!

William Meyer

This place feels authentic, and the food is exquisite. There is obvious pride and passion that is presented with every plate. It is a staple and a favourite of mine. Try the shashimi! The salmon entree is also incredible. I always look forward to my visit.

Jessica Crompton

Why 1 star? TL;DR - Save your money, appetite, and Uptown Waterloo by not eating here. Came here expecting a nice hearty meal, ended up making instant ramen at home afterwards. -2 Stars for value for money and quality of food: - $14 for a bento with close to cold rice, refrigerated salad with cheap fake crab, terrible tasting yam tempura, and close to cold small pieces of beef. - You get a lukewarm and watered-down miso soup with some strange chewy things in it. Also, a hint of dishwasher soap in the after-taste. - The veggies are a bunch of stir-fried cabbage, white mushroom slices, and some crunchy garlic chips. It was also the warmest item in the bento. - The beef stew was a complete rip-off. Four 1-inch cubes of room temp beef, potatoes, and carrots. Tastes more like Chinese or Taiwanese hot pot beef, but lacking any real flavour to it. - I'm assuming they keep the beef somewhere and just pour the gravy over it to warm it up. - Salad was standard with some added fake crab meat (maybe to make people think they're getting a fancy salad)? -1 Star for being charged $2 when asking for HOT GREEN tea. Instead, they gave me a room temperature cup of some weird white tea which I asked what it was and was told it was green tea. I asked for hot tea and they gave me another cup (slightly warmer) of the same weird tea. They then just put a whole tea pot in front of me. -1 Star for the cleanliness and disorganization of the restaurant; Cleaning products on or near food preparation surfaces, dirty dish cart with unfinished (not surprising) bentos stacked high in the eating space, cooks wiping their sweating foreheads with their hands as they prepare sushi and "hot" meals, and restaurant patrons chain smoking just outside the door which doesn't fully close. Disgusting.

Robin Grant

Best sushi in KW in terms of quality and quantity! The chefs selection of sashimi never disappoints. Portion sizes are very generous for a high end sushi place like this. Definitely will keep ordering.

Rob Corrigan

By far the freshest sushi in town. Highly recommend their features board, the chef's nigiri set, salmon oshizushi and their fresh ginger-honey tea. Everything else is solid too.

Neil Wang

Do not be fooled by the staff speaking Mandarin. The quality is legit. I recommend the dinner Nigiri set to get a taste of everything.

Niresh Balasubramane

Sashimi’s so fresh and yummy.

Kevin

One of the best Al a carte sushi I've had in Kitchener Waterloo. We ordered takoyaki, karaage, rice paper roll, hon maguro carpaccio, nigiri set, snow white cocktail, and pink yuzu soda. …

Suki Wu

Perfect Japanese restaurant! I love all the dishes and the decorations.

Sharanya R

Ordered online for pick up in 1 hour, arrived at pick up time and waited for 1 hour before canceling but found out they “don’t do refunds only store credit”. Probably for the best since most of the staff including the sushi chef was not wearing a mask during a provincial lockdown. Ps. Ordered twice the amount of sushi for $10 less from sushi 99 and it was ready before we could drive from here to sushi 99(10 minute drive).

Chao Peng

Romantic ambiance for dining in Uptown Waterloo (though be aware the volume can be a bit loud). Delicious, fresh à la carte sushi and Japanese dishes, with some impressive plating. Build your meal from appetizers, sushi, dishes and specials. Worth a return visit!

Karl Jones

Good food and service. Had the unagi bento, tea and the homemade ginger ale. Everything tasted good, from the bbq eel to the tempura to the stirfried veggies. Absolutely loved the fresh homemade ginger ale. Hoping to try their sushi next time.

Maryam Hodaie

Dine in

Rod Sarmiento

I went today with my family there very clean Japanese restaurant, food testing very good, I will tell the manager to increase the portions of food for the price we pay it

Russell Sakauye

The quality of the food was fantastic! Far superior to other sushi places around town. Service was great, the atmosphere was cozy, and the prices were reasonable. Definitely coming back!

Jordan Jantzi

The menu is a little short, but we had 3 very good rolls. They were pretty creative (not the typical options), and definitely in the top 3 in the city. Love the black beer as well. I still prefer places that allow me to watch the cooks prepare the food, but overall, I'd say this place is 'very good'.

Arthur Rocha

Delicious and fresh. Portions are good, though some rolls can be small. The rolls are unique and not your usual mass market sushi. I would definitely come back

Li Zhang

Hands down the best sushi in town. And their mushroom miso soup is DIVINE.

Peter Jones

Service

Tanisha Mehta

Top tier sushi - not your traditional “all-you-can-eat” spot. High quality food and nice atmosphere.

Em

My brother and I loved this place. Great sushi and a nice atmosphere, not loud or rushed. We think all round Kinkaku is still the best sushi shack in town BUT if you want a good non all-you can-eat, relaxing, and great service sushi place with huge rolls, and good bento boxes (that probably won't have 0.5-1 hr wait) then this place is great! They also have a private party room!

Purazar Bhadha

Food was pretty good, bit a little expensive. Nevertheless we enjoyed our meal.

Bat Soup

Best sushi in town. Great presentation. Must try the Sashimi platter. They often have unique specials that are not on the menu.

Joshua Lomonaco

I've literally eaten sushi all around the world (including Nobu and Park). Watami is delicious beyond words. If I lived closer, I would eat there everyday.

Alex Mow

Dinner

blake waters

Delicious food, great service, cute restaurant. The albacore tuna carpaccio was so good, we ended up ordering the bluefin tuna carpaccio afterwards too. we're definitely going to come back :)

Local Man

Sushi was fresh, beautifully presented, and the portions were generous. Very filling and I found it more enjoyable than AYCE for sure in terms of atmosphere, quality, and value. Dinner was a grand total of $17 rather than $30+ at an AYCE. Tried a piece of my friends' red dragon roll and summer roll but the ice & fire roll I ordered left the strongest impression. Really delicious despite having fake crab in it, which I'm not a fan of. Also tried their miso, which is saltier than most other places but it was still fine. Service was nice and quick for our group of 5 since we were early for dinner on a Tuesday but the place filled up quickly by the time we were done.

Paul Rak

Very fresh. Probably the freshest sushi shop I've been to in the cities i've lived in in Canada. Having been to Japan, I can say that they have fresh tasting fish and attention to detail for the sashimi cuts. In terms of rolls, they are more of the fusion sushi type but goos nevertheless.

Logan Fuller

This place is fantastic! The staff was very nice and attentive. Owner (I think) was very kind and took the time to discuss the menu with our group. The food is both delicious and BEAUTIFULLY presented. Definitely going back

Vince Bettencourt

I ordered a udo which i only had two bite but i had to drink a whole glass of water, I asked the waitress whether it is ok to make it again so that it would not be that salty. She said yes, took the udo back to the kitchen and let me wait. When i finished all my other dishes, waiting for my udo, another waitress came and told me they cant make my udo again! After a while, the third waitress came and told me they could me if for me. I got so mad because i was hungry and they were like fooling around me. At the end, they didnt ask me to pay for the udo i only had two bite, but still, not coming back to this restaurant again. I have to admitthat They got good pork meet though. Unfortunately, AWFUL sushi.

Hugh MacLeod

Everything was so delicious and fresh. We got the deluxe sushi set and baked scallop roll. The deluxe sushi set had uni, which is my absolute favorite. To be honest I was a little surprised to find how fresh the uni was! It tasted sweet! This is so hard to find. Please keep it up!! All the sushi pieces were thick, not cheap thin slices like some sushi places. I'm not sure if they offer a la carte sushi and sashimi, it wasn't on the menu. I wish they did, which means I can order lots of pieces of uni.

A Y

My opinion - may be it doesn't look like the coziest place, but here you can taste the most delicious sushi in Waterloo! Fish is fresh, rise - cooked properly, decent variety.

Taery Kim

Amazing, best sushi place I've been to outside of Japan! Would recommend the rolls they are sooooo tasty.

Robert Ma

Meal type

Eric Blondeel

This was our first time eating at this place. It wasn't that busy for a Sunday afternoon. Price was a little higher than average, portion size was small considering the price tag, and the most disappointing part was the incredibly slow service we received! Took 10 minutes for them to produce a single roll with only 2 other tables occupied! The food was very good when it would finally arrive, but we have no intention of ever going back. Niko Niko or Sushi 99 rock.

Ella Rasmussen

Very comfortable atmosphere and delicious food with reasonable pricing. Our favorite item from our experience tonight is the grilled pork cheek. We went for a small birthday celebration and they were very kind to help us set up the cake. They also offer to make cakes such as Tofu Cheesecake if we let them know 3-4 days in advance. We hear good things about the wagyu grill too, so we are keeping it for our next visit.

Melody

A sweet Japanese lady who works here kindly let us know the owner here had professionally trained as sushi chef in Japan. Sushi lunch set we ordere was beyond amazing. As a foodie myself born and raise in Japan, I was so happy to see the beautiful presentation and feel the freshness of fish in my mouth. Even a miso soup that comes with the set has a pleasant flavour of bonito. Portion size was perfect and price was reasonable. I would absolutely love to go back during dinner hours next time!!

Steve Powell

Hands down, the best sushi in Waterloo. The owner doesn't compromise, only uses the greatest slices and has really cool combinations.

Christina Xing

Take out

Mike Mertes

Being from Vancouver, I'm naturally more picky about my sushi. For the price point and quality, I don't think you can get better than Watami in Waterloo. I'm digging the new menu, in particular the tuna carpaccio. Their Una Don is also a great value; they provide two large pieces of Unagi. Not sure they've nailed the Salmon Oshi, but I'm particularly picky since it's my favourite sushi.

Kira Code

Great sushi and the service is amazing! I got the mango tango roll which tasted wonderful. It was $9, a bit expensive for the area but the quality definitely lives up to it, they also give you miss and a garden salad

Steven Friedmann

My favourite sushi place in town! Their sushi is unique and very high quality. The portions are large enough to be a full entree so even though it’s not all you can eat you will still be satisfied after your meal. It is a little pricier than other places but very worth it for the quality. The service is also great and very friendly. Try the ice and fire roll!

Josh Reid

Although the value and and quality is top notch, I would rather have wasabi on the side instead of already in the sushi. While I understand that some sushi chefs take pride in serving sushi the way they enjoy it, I cant see myself going again because I don’t like the flavour of Wasabi.

tony peng

Excellent date spot for the sushi lover. The nigiri set was pricey but was impressive in size and quality. They had some fancy (expensive) cuts available too: chuu-toro, wagyu, uni, foie gras, etc.

Michelle Hannah

By far one of the best sushis I've ever had

Bruno Oliveira

Amazing sushi experience. The best in kw/Waterloo region

Mitchell Snider

Incredible. Smaller place, cosy. The Japanese whiskey they serve is very similar to a light coastal/unpeated scotch. Staff were very friendly to us and the food was on another level.

Matthew Freake

Best sushi in KW. Their lunch bento boxes are decent but their dinner is even better. Hadn’t had a single dish that I didn’t enjoy. Fresh fish and all their rolls taste great.

Grace Vincelli

Service

Anna Druzhynina

The food tastes OK. The Chef’s Special Salmon Don is just salmon sashimi on rice… And the chicken soft bone doesn’t worth $13 at all. Most of the items are overpriced. But since it’s still soft opening, will come back and check it out again.

Anastasiya Smotrikova

Delicious sushi (their dragon rolls are amazing!) and bento boxes. This is our go-to sushi place in Waterloo.

Gabby Borgerink

Easily the best sushi in town. The next best choice does not even compare. The owner does not compromise. Every cut of fish is delicious.

Bogdan Radu

Sakedon was pretty to look at, super instagramable. Was not as good as I expected it would be. Fried tako was pretty good and was way better than our main meal

Michelle Nguyen

Service

Panuruj Khambanonda (PK)

Best Sushi in town ....to my discerning taste. Fresh and deelicious. I dig the vibe. Clean, good service. The Bento boxes are excellent.

Lam Lai Tu Dau

Dinner

Jess Ma

The best Japanese restaurant in town, quality is top notch and food is always made by the freshest ingredients. You could not be able find any restaurant close to Watami in the World. And of course, the customer service is world class. Thank you.

Kaitlyn Berriman

Best sushi in the region by far - and I’ve tried most. You won’t be disappointed!

Frank Fulton

We wanted to try a new place for dinner and we decided on sushi. We came across this amazing restaurant and we would never venture anywhere else for sushi. It was the most fresh and delicious food we have ever eaten and our 10 year old raved about his sushi dish. The service is top notch and very friendly.

J. Walker

Really good sushi place. Had the bluefin tuna and the jade roll. Really high quality food made with fresh ingredients. Would highly recommend but is definitely pricey.

J

From lef to right: Ice & fire, salmon crunch and las vegas. Delicious. Definitely recommend this place.

Navin Chand

Best sushi in town by a very large margin. Not the "all you can trash" that passes for sushi. Do yourself a favor and order off the chalk board.

Thomas Yi

Probably one of the best sushi spots in KW. Everything is delicious, friendly staff, and the interior is beautiful and cozy. One of my favourite parts is the chalkboard covered in drawings of maneki neko! It is an à la carte sushi restaurant that has great vegan options among other amazing dishes. Everything was artfully plated and almost too beautiful to eat. Perfect place for a date night in uptown!

Mossab O. Basir

Great atmosphere and good food but overpriced for what it is

Erika Lopes

very nice environment and ambiance. food arrived quickly and was delicious. would recommend the katsu chicken

Aaron Bayou

Not your average sushi restaurant. These people make it an art. You get tremendous value for your money, a personal touch with service, and a full belly before you leave. If you're a sushi person, this is a must stop in KW.

Marcus Manocha

Tastes as good as the interior design looks! The quality that comes out of the kitchen is top notch. Good for smaller groups or date destinations. Pricing is a little on the higher end but definitely worth it in the end

Sergije Vrbaški

I come from BC so finding good sushi in Ontario has been a challenge, but this place is excellent. Fair prices for how tasty it is.

Jody Lee

My go-to for sushi in KW. Really cozy interior and amazing specials served in a special fog boat. Try the seared salmon rolls.

Scott Madter

I'm so happy Watami came back to Waterloo! The staff is friendly and professional, the food is fresh and the portions are large. I left feeling like I just ate at a buffet. They're also very accommodating to any request you have. I'll definitely come back again next time I visit Waterloo.

RAYAN & AYAAN KASSEM

I know the food here was supposed to be more high end but it just did not live up to the standards of what you were thinking you would get. The flavors were just not all that great. Not very much seating and the curtain you walk into the building through smells pretty bad from being out in the rain.

Jing Tang

The place looks really clean and classy, and serves great Japanese food. If you want an authentic sushi fix in Waterloo this place has got to be it. Love that you can order bluefin tuna from Japan as well as other fish. The quality, attention to detail, and presentation fits the price, and suits the uptown Waterloo vibe much better.

d ben

Service

Lindsay Coulter

Food was generally really tasty, but many not worth the price (Jade roll: salmon wrapped in cucumber, 4 pcs $8). It took over an hour to get everyone's entrees out (we had 5 people) and they never once commented on the delay. It shouldn't take that long to slice fish, as most of our dishes were simple sashimi or salmon sushi. They seemed understaffed as it was also hard to get the attention of the servers despite it being a small restaurant. (dinner) 7 months later: went for lunch this time and got the bento box. Tasted pretty good but fish wasn't especially fresh compared to other sushi places in the area. 6 tables at the time but my wait was still really long just for a fresh fish dish. I'd bump the rating up to a 3.5 but still not a 4 for me.

Alex Leuschner

Ate here for the first time Friday night. The sushi is excellent. I would highly recommend the Rice Paper Roll, which is similar to the Green Dragon Roll but better. Also had an Udon soup

Living Temagami - Arts & Culture

High quality fish, fresh ingredients, and amazing flavours all for a very reasonable price. The atmosphere is very trendy. Spent $35 here for 2 people and felt very full after sharing a salad, Jade roll, and an udon entre. However, there is an option to spend more for certain items and specials if you wish.

Shan

It was Delicious!! We will definitely order from here again. The food was very fresh and had an excellent choice of sashimi / sushi! We ordered the 40 piece party platter and Got different cuts from the same fish that we never had before like fatty salmon or the squid was excellent and I don't usual like it!!! very cute restaurant but I just had take out. We will return for sure! Prices were reasonable for the quality of food we got! Very very fresh!!!

Bilal Akil

The server we had was very knowledgeable and provided great items to taste from the menu. The food was amazing and the amount of detail put into each dish is incredible.

Chee Hau Teoh

My food at Watami Sushi was not only delicious, but beautifully presented. If you aren't an expert on sushi the staff is both knowledgeable and helpful. They also make their own teas and a kicking ginger ale. The menu is expensive compared to some other sushi options in town, but the whole experience is definitely worth the price.

Matt Skelton

Mouthwatering, fresh and by far the best sushi experience I have ever had. Great flavor profiles and only the top ingredients.

Bimesh De Silva

The re launch has a nice looking place. But the bento boxes are a downgrade of what they use to be. There are no more sushi rolls in any of teriakye or cutlet boxes.

François Sunatori

Had lunch with my wife on Sunday. Food was tasty and I was going to give 4-5 stars. In the afternoon, both me and my wife got serious diarrhea and had to go to washroom several times. Ruined the whole afternoon. We ordered takowasabi, sushimi and 2 sushi rolls. Not sure which dish cause the issue.

Brian Zubert

Absolutely loved it! Definitely one of the best options in the KW/Guelph/Cambridge area. The staff is really friendly and the food is fresh, made in house, and delicious. The menu provides a good variety of options. Be mindful they don't reservations after 6:00 PM so you might have to wait but I promise it's worth it.

Michael Wright

The sushi was horrible and not fresh. Smelled bad and tasted bad. Not sure if they are running out of fresh food because of COVID but this was the worst sushi experience I had in my life. It was also very expensive

Blaise Wong

Had an excellent lunch here. The rolls were very creative and delicious. My favourite was the baked scallops. The servers are pleasant and helpful. The restaurant is small, but there is plenty of space between tables. The noise level was medium. The pricing is "premium" level, but acceptable given the quality of the meal. The outdoor signage is small and discreet, so definitely rely on Google Maps to know when you're there!

Mark Church

Love the atmosphere. Great service! And the food was excellent, well plated and delicious.

Kissan Mistry

Worst sushi place I have ever been to and I frequent sushi places around the city and in the states of Massachusetts and Florida. I was looking forward to it based off reviews on here but people don't know what they are talking about apparently. I've had better sushi and service at the basic China Buffet than the garbage served at this place. I do not recommend. My husband and I got sick despite all we ate was just the miso soup and a few bites from our entrees. I'm writing from the toilet right now!! I am sure they are not practicing safe food handling either based on the lack of care put into the place and building, the service and ultimately the food. My sushi roll was served on stale tempura flakes and the scallops in the entree my husband ordered didn't have the outer lining removed. There was trash on the floor, and our first server appeared frustrated at the very sight of customers to tend to. Again, I do not recommend and regret suggesting this place to my husband for dinner.

Frank Jiang

The nigiri set is really good with high quality fish. The salmon nigiri melts in my mouth.

Jeff Mair

Some of the best sushi I've had and at a reasonable price! The atmosphere had a classy feel with perfessional service but it wasn't too formal. I enjoyed the scallops although it was a bit heavy on the mayo. Would go again ????

Ying Woei Ooi

We had a great experience! Service was courteous and prompt. Everything we ordered was delicious! I highly recommend the ginger wasabi roll (maki roll wrapped with salmon and no rice) and the takoyaki, it was perfect. We will be coming back!

Chris Sosnowski

perfect restaurant, definitely will go there again!

Andrew Murphy

Go to Sakura Island in Waterloo instead. Came here with a party of 10, food came at random times. It took 2 hours for me to get my salad... even my friend, who's dish which came an hour after ordering, finished eating before mine arrived. There were only a few other couples in the restaurant, all who finished eating their appetizers and mains before I got mine, even though they sat down much later than my group. I'm very patient and didn't even complain, but what ticks me off is that they never even offered an apology. What's worse is that they didn't offer an apology or explanation when they served my friends, they gave me a dish which I started eating but took it away without saying anything-- a minute later I saw them give it to the table behind me, even though I ate from it. The manager also gave me a dirty look and said, "That's it?" and kept waiting for me to order more food because I just ordered an appetizer, even though she told me it could feed 2-3 people. The piece of cake they gave my friend for her birthday was literally two bites. Look, the food is good but the service is not. We made a reservation ahead of time, and the restaurant wasn't busy at all. Mistake after mistake can be forgiven, but not without an apology.

Jesse Free

Sashimi was amazing and there was great service

Vi

Meal type

Leah Danis

The place started strong after the renovation, but it's gone down hill a bit recently. Sashimi isn't as fresh as it was. Flavour of the rolls is sometimes off. Don't get me wrong -- this is probably still the best Japanese restaurant in town (and of course don't ever compare it against places in GTA).

Rachel Bartholomew

I love all the food I had! My favorite was the jade role! Customer service was great and the desserts were delicious! Sashimi from around the world is very impressive and that ship sashimi plate it amazing!

Tamara Bain

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday dinner and we were really impressed! Food was so fresh, homemade tea was lovely and our server was so nice and very attentive to us. We got the mango tango and watami on king rolls and an udon noodle dish to share. Portions were perfect for the 2 of us and atmosphere was nice. We will definitely be back. I highly recommend if you are in KW!

Graham Howell

With a menu half the size it used to be, Watami focuses on delivering a high quality Japanese experience in the Waterloo Region. Absolutely fantastic! We hadn't been since it reopened; the sashimi was to die for, and the specialty rolls came dressed to impress. Forget AYCE - for the same price or cheaper, Watami provides a premium sushi experience. Whole, imported, fresh fish from Japan also available for purchase. .

Linda Li

The food is sooo good everytime we come here, and the staff is great as well. One of our favourite sushi spots in the Region.

Foss Jiao

Very cute restaurant with really yummy sushi rolls. Really recommend the ginger tea and the home made matcha icecream! We ordered the black dragon roll and the ginger roll - both excellent!

Ivor Gottschalk

Dinner

Ferencz Dominguez

The food was amazing. Brought a friend to try it and now he's talking about craving it wants to go again the service in the atmosphere was also top notch.

Alice Wong

If you are looking for a good quality dine-in sushi, I find Watami to be best option in the KW area. It's is a bit more expensive than the other sushi restaurants, but you get good quality fish and interesting menu options. Service is also good and has a good has a comfortable atmosphere.

Pam

Most authentic sushi in KW. Fresh fish and seafood flown in from Japan. Everything is delicious!

Ren - David

Hands down the best place for sushi I have ever been. The food is amazing, the staff is extremely friendly and welcoming, it's always just a wonderful experience overall! Cannot recommend this place more.

Matthew McLeod

Seriously fresh and tasty food. You won't get any 'fishy' taste here. Friendly service. Pricey, which is why I didn't give 5 stars, but still, if you can afford it, definitely check it out. Great decor - lots of nice wood and cute chalk art, and neat dishware. A lot of thought went into this place.

Krysta Traianovski

An excellent place for sushi. Have eaten here a few times now and have to drive 40 minutes past other Sushi shops along the way. What does that say about Watami?

Jane H

The best sushi I’ve ever had

SARAH JING

They have the best homemade ginger tea in the city!! It’s so strong and so gingery! We love it. I’ve taken people there just for the tea. The space is also very cute and cozy. Nice ambience. The service is friendly. They are flexible with their menu choices if you want something else. The sushi is delicious. I recommend this place especially for a date.

Ahmed E

We went during lunch and it was a bit full but regardless, the food was great! We got our food quickly even though there were lots of people in the restaurant. The price was average around $15 for the lunch specials. I loved their purple rice and their pork katsu though, they were very tasty!

Chris S

Excellent food but it was a little slow to arrive at the table. Took at least 25 minutes from the time we ordered. Their bluefin tuna sushi and red dragon roll are unreal! Yes, I would recommend.

Ashley

Ate here for the first time ever on my birthday, and I definitely have to say it is the best sushi spot in Kitchener Waterloo. They are very kind and have excellent service. Hands down, my go to spot if I'm ever craving sushi.

scott hurst

Meal type

Alyssa Roberts

If you are looking for creative japanese, this is the place for you! We tried 3 of their special rolls and they’re great: ice&fire, rice paper roll and ginger/wasabi. Rice paper roll is amazing. The dark beer on the photo is very good as well. Service was courteous and quick - we arrived after 8pm after the crowds are gone.

Aysha H

Very fresh sashimi. Best in town. Some food may need to order couple days before.

Grace S

Food was delicious, went for soft opening. Only have 4 as the service was very slow/lacking but that's because there was only one waitress as far as I can see. The sushi was so fresh and love the atmosphere in there.

Marina Bellew

Best sushi you can find in Waterloo. Love their appetizer and look forward to our next visit. Very comfortable seating.

Samantha Bradshaw

Excellent sushi - recommend the nikiri set

Sam D

Came here for lunch and got the salmon lover, 5 piece blue fin tuna sashimi and baked scallop roll. The food was delicious and the service was good.

Kristen C

Every morsel of food is wonderful. The miso is fabulous. The staff are friendly and helpful. This is a wonderful addition to the sushi landscape of KW. It is not all you can eat. Fresh items are slightly expensive. These are the requirements of an excellent restaurant. I look forward to eating there again. I went during their soft opening. Highly recommend it to any foodie or sushi lover.

Ali Hassawi

One of my favourite sushi places in KW! The sushi is delicious, but if that's not your thing, they also have these amazing bento boxes.

Jai Gandhi

Nice restaurant, great customer service, but avoid the ramen. Went there on a sunday for their ramen, being an avid ramen fan myself. I ordered the miso, and my friend ordered the shoyu ramen. Wait was a bit long but not terrible and the restaurant is nice. However, the miso ramen was flavorless and weak. The bamboo shoots gave it a terrible smell. I complained to the waitress who took the ramen back and replaced it with a shoyu ramen, which was better, but still not great. Watami sushi is an okay place redeemed heavily by its customer service, and I truly hope they can improve their ramen in the future. I cannot yet speak for their sushi, but it looked quite good. Will go back to try their sushi purely based on the customer service I received.

Raymond Vuong

Went here for lunch today and definitely was NOT disappointed. I ordered the Green Salad expecting the usual (small portion of iceberg lettuce and some dressing) - what I got was the complete opposite. Big portion of amazing salad with fresh avocado on top and tasty dressing. For my main I ordered the "Baked Scallop" roll (pictured) and it also far exceeded my expectations. Great quality of food, good portions and friendly staff. Way better than what you would expect/what I have experienced in any sushi restaurant to date.

Brad Shushack

This is in the top two sushi places in the tri-cities (in the humble opinion of my wife and I) - If you're looking for quality over quantity, this is the place to go. If you're into sashimi, I'd recommend the fish bowl - it's one of the better-value items on the menu.

Heba Haidar

One of the best Sushi place here in town.

Wing Dao

A small location that offers solid sushi with great ambience and presentation. Another great place to take your date or partner if they like sushi. …

Carmen Che

Great sushi place. It is a little pricier than some other options in the area, but the quality is accordingly higher. Also, there are lunch specials that make things a little more affordable. The sashimi lunch bento I had came with rice, soup, a salad, and fried tofu in addition to the fish. The portions of the fish were large and tasted great, and there was more variety than is usual in KW. The service was quick and the staff were very friendly. Although I had been gone for some time and the restaurant had been closed for several years in the interim, the staff member who took my order recognized me from my visits to the old location years ago. The new location looks very nice and has good ambiance, and when I visited after typical lunch-rush hours several tables were full but it was not crowded. All in all a great experience, and worth revisiting regularly.

Will

Best sushi I have had since moving to Ontario. Would have docked a star for the glitch in the order process and wait time, but the sushi taste and quality more than makes up for it. Got the Sushi & Maki party tray (60 pieces)

Sabrina Kyle

This is my go to if I want to eat out, the Oshizushi is what I live for.

Katherine Jia

The sushi is fresh, rice is fragrant and tasty and the staff is friendly. The prices are definitely on the high side. I found hard plastic pieces(or fish scales) in my Tex-Mex roll, so I called them and they offered to give me a free roll replacement next time. Just a word of caution!!

Jay Pat

loved this place! my friends and I had a lovely time and enjoyed our meals a lot

Nicole He

I normally don’t write bad reviews, but I had very bad experience at this sushi place. We ordered salmon pressed sushi as shown in the photo, but then I found hair in the sushi. We told the staff about this and she took my plate away and showed to the sushi chef. The sushi chef was saying in CHINESE that “the customers are UNREASONABLE! and whose hair is that ?” Yes, I can understand Chinese. Thanks for being so rude and disrespectful.

sanjana

Came here with a party of five for my father's birthday during their soft opening. Service was courteous and food was served reasonably quickly. Food was of excellent quality. Presentation of the maki rolls and especially the chef's choice sashimi was fantastic, and would highly recommend the chicken karage (Japanese fried chicken) as well as the Fire and Ice roll. Will definitely want to go back once they have a liquor license and a full menu.

Jason Xiong

I go here at least once a week, great selection of fish weekly. Bento boxes for lunch are great. Just had my first supper here, don't be fooled by the entrees, they are huge and you definately get your money's worth.

Zoey Carrigan

Best freshest sushi in town.

Judith Hallet

Everything was Fantastic! Got the homemade lemonade, and ginger ale which were both really good. Got the tempura shrimp, octopus balls, rice paper roll and crunchy salmon roll which were all AMAZING. With tofu cheesecake for dessert which sounded odd but was really good too. Really nice look and atmosphere and service was quite good too. Definitely going back.

Cindy Q

The place is quaint and cozy, but given the current situation, well spaced out and only about 5 tables. The Karaage was below par compared to other Japanese restaurants. The chicken pieces were thin - it should be in larger cubes.. and thus was dry. Although crispy, the batter coating was mediocre. Topped off with Japanese spices, the Karaage was a fail. The pork cheeks were amazing however. Well plated (sorry, no pics, was on top of a small hot plate lited by a gel flange) and was kept hot and simmering. Flavors were good. The okonomiyaki was good. Standard offering you would find at many places. The roasted fish was quite good as well. Given the price and available offerings, deserves a 4. Avoid the fried chicken (Karaage) until they get it right.

Alice Park

Exceptionally fine sushi with evident precision, pride, and craft. Incredibly fresh and flavourful and very reasonably priced for the caliber. On offer are a wonderful selection of apps, rolls, and nigiri. I will certainly return here. Excellent.

Miss Le

Food is great but service is horrible. Went there for lunch yesterday with a friend visiting from overseas. The three of us ordered a large salad, 2 orders of eight piece rolls, and a sashimi Bento because I could not find a sashimi dish on the menu. A waitress with messy hair tied in the back came to serve us with a cold face. She seemed to be annoyed by her customers and avoided my eye contact all the time. She took my order and commented " so three of you are ordering ONE Bento lunch?" I asked why, if the rolls are appetizers and how big they are She said eight pieces each order! Then I said that's not enough for three women?! She rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders "ok" as if I had ordered a three piece a la carte for the 3 of us. I asked her if there is sashimi dish instead of Bento box, she said arogently their chef specials are on the blackboard. Not until then did I notice there's a blackboard on the far end of the restaurant wall. Because of my visitor I did not want to ruin our lunch date by asking to speak to the owner. In my past 20 years in Waterloo restaurants experience I have never seen and heard this level of horrible service and attitude. This waitress will sooner or later ruin this restaurant.

DANIEL SUI

Unique sushi place with the most amazing presentation. They take the craft seriously. The food is great , the rolls unique and everything you have there is presented beautifully. A must try for anyone in the area.

Mossab and Gillian Basir

Best sushi in the city. A little on the pricier side.

Celine Yu

it was absolutely delicious! best sushi i’ve had in a long time! definitely recommend:) 10/10

Pietro

The sushi here is really quite high end the only thing I would say is that they need to change out the paper menu as it shows aging and is not appealing other than that my wife was Chinese really like to come here often as the sushi rolls are some of the best especially the Mexican one

Ying Maggie Yang

Dine in

Tiger Yu

We ordered the 40pc maki tray for takeout. We didn’t enjoy it. There was way too much rice around the rolls. The rice itself was also a mixture of soft and hard rice, which was weird and we ended up taking off most of the rice. Overall, not a fun or tasty experience.

Terry “Terry” Wang

My favorite izukaya in town. Cosy environment with friendly staffs. High quality foods and drinks are mostly imported from Japan.

Isabella Ortiz

Love the atmosphere of the place! Sushi is really nice, especially the scallop one! Portion sizes are really decent for the price and the sushi is absolutely delicious! Really like the decor, particularly the chalk drawings on the blackboard

Cabalistic Apparatus

Cooked food was decent, but the sushi was not very good. I think all their rolls had lettuce in them, and the fish wasn't a good cut. Plus, service was pretty gruff, definitely not Japanese style overall. Not sure how it can get high marks unless the reviews are fake or Waterloo just has a super low bar for sushi. Or maybe everyone is just ordering cooked food for take out, which I think could be worth having occasionally, if I lived nearby.

Ming Wong

We absolutely love this place! They are the sushi spot to go in the town. Sushi are always delicious and fresh! We love their special rolls I never seen anywhere else. We order here about once a week and when you do their delivery they always put a little extra to you order like holiday cookies and extra miso soup! Today we got cake thrown in together with some misos!!! Just so lovely ???? thank you!

Mark Yamada

Dinner

Dinh Nguyen

Hands up best sushi restaurant in the Waterloo Region. We love Ken's but the quality and ambience here cannot be beaten. …

Balraj Kullar

My fiancée and I have visited twice now. The tea is amazing and everything we have tried in the menu has gone above our expectations. The atmosphere is excellent and the service is very friendly. 10/10 would recommend.

Lisa Sneesa

Best sashimi/sushi in Waterloo no doubt. The sashimi are really fresh and the owner explained they source directly from Japan. Also the green tea with a touch of chrysanthemum is one of the highlights. The presentation of the food makes the whole experience complete. No matter if you want to just grab a bento box or look for some high quality sashimi to satisfy the sophisticated palate, this is the place to go. Highly recommend!

Eleni Vlajnic

Would have been 5 stars if they had parking and that they didn't kick us out because it's a tiny place, it was full, and people were waiting to be seated. The food is very good though. We ordered Salmon Set, Salmon Bowl and Fish Bowl. The salmon dishes came with some red bean rice hidden under the fish. The Fish Bowl has sushi rice. The amount of food for each dish was just perfect. We were full without any food goes to waste, left behind. The service is acceptable.

Kate Melymuk

My husband and I have been to Watami twice in the last 1 month. The food is amazing and the place is nice and cozy. I especially enjoyed the mango tango roll and teriyaki chicken bento box.

Matthew Gayford

The food and atmosphere was excellent for the Sunday lunch my partner and I had. We particularly liked the smaller menu as to not be overwhelmed, and they did their specialities very well. We had the salmon don and unagi bento and they were very lovely. The raw fish was fresh and I enjoyed every item on the bento box (the vegetable stir-fry was deceptively plain, but so flavourful, who knew?) I will definitely be returning there for dinner in the future!

Paul Montague

Great plating and taste, I have to say this is my favourite Sushi place in KW region.

Taylor Admans

This is a pretty good Japanese store. One of the better ones in Waterloo. I've noticed they used instant wasabi so it hindered my judgment. The sushi rolls are unique. Dessert was okay. Stick to the rolls!

Jeremy Ide

Good service. High quality and fresh ingredients. Been looking around the KW region for a sushi place that has good Otoro, Uni and Wagyu beef. Will definitely be back!

Kevin Lu

Ordered through the restaurant for delivery. This is an ala carte sushi restaurant, not an all-you-can-eat. Prices are higher but felt that the quality was excellent especially for delivery. Would definitely order again. We had the rice paper roll, sushi salmon, spicy tuna, gyozas and dynamite roll.

Rebecca F

Meal type

Nikhil Chauhan

Hands down the single best sushi in Waterloo region. I thought after moving from Vancouver that I was never going to have great sushi again, but then I found this place. I nearly cried when I took a bit into the prawn sashimi the first time I ate there. Holy cow. Now I try to go at least once every two weeks, and I'm actually getting takeout MORE often because of the pandemic. Recommended takeout: the Chicken Karaage, the Salmon Bento and the Watami on King roll. For dine-in (whenever that's allowed again), you absolutely MUST get the chef's selection sashimi. It will change your life (if you've only ever had sushi in K-W.

Caroline Spicer

Great customer service. Some of the freshest and tastiest sushi I've had in this area. It's hard to stop at just one bento box

Samuel Rodriguez

Service was good, food was also good. Interesting experience with interesting food. I would recommend coming here for a good time. Quality sushi and sashimi in the area. Very impressive. The fish we had also looked pretty cool, and the preparation and presentation is also pretty cool.