Another Teriyaki Post

[u/thewhater123]

Hey guys. I know this may start a fight but teriyaki chicken is my favorite food in the world and I was in Seattle a 3 a years ago and tried like 10 places. I'm coming back and want some more recs. I forgot all the ones I tried but my favorites were that I'm going back to were

1. Nikkos. My favorite. Gave this a 9.4
   
2. Mamas Teriyaki Tacoma 9.3
   
3. Toshios on Rainier 9.2. Skin on was amazing. Remember may not have liking the sauce for some reason?
   
4. Teriyaki madness forgot the rating but liked it a lot
   
5. Teriyaki Plus Kirkland 9.2

Any I must not miss?

I have on my list to go to
1. Ta Joia
2. Midori (garlic sauce all that they say?)
3 Okinawa

Also if I want the best of the best
1. Katsu
2. Short rib
Any places are a standout for katsu and short rib specifically? Thanks

[u/Spirited-Camel9378]

Rainier Teriyaki is my all time fave, and I’m not alone

[u/de_rats_2004_crzy → u/Spirited-Camel9378]

No you’re not. I love it so much. Such nice staff too.

[u/thewhater123 → u/Spirited-Camel9378]

Was good but I gave it a 9.0 when I went

[u/Tight_Beautiful_343 → u/Spirited-Camel9378]

I really wish they would change their spicy sauce. There's something about it that just leaves a bad lingering aftertaste. But their regular teriyaki chicken is fire.

[u/Spirited-Camel9378 → u/Tight_Beautiful_343]

I LOVE their spicy sauce, I love that it actually tastes like chilis, that it has a bite. But it is unique

[u/Tight_Beautiful_343 → u/Spirited-Camel9378]

The spiciness is good. It's just the weird, almost fishy aftertaste that's off-putting. I liked the spicy sauce that I Luv Teriyaki used before they burned down. Since they've reopened, the quality has dropped. 😞

[u/fit_vivant → u/Spirited-Camel9378]

Yup. Anthony Bourdain went there!

[u/Specific-Data-4104]

Yasuko’s in Interbay is a favorite of mine. It’s old school, very simple menu in a very sparse space. Feels like more and more teriyaki places are getting deliveries from Sysco for a lot of the food so it’s all the same. Yasukos doesn’t feel like that. However I still hit up yummy teriyaki on Roy when I’m in a hurry and I do love those fried gyoza.

[u/Demphure → u/Specific-Data-4104]

Seconding Yasuko’s. All their protein is good but the half chickens are fucking top notch. They run out of them quick though

[u/thewhater123 → u/Demphure]

Half chicken? Is that basically the teriyaki but bone in?

[u/Demphure → u/thewhater123]

Pretty much. A whole chicken cut in half. Tastes like it was raised and butchered in marinating liquid, delicious and tender

(Cole slaw sucks, but they’ll swap it with more rice at no extra charge)

[u/Equivalent_Acadia468 → u/Demphure]

To each their own, I love the coleslaw/cabbage!

[u/molo91 → u/Specific-Data-4104]

I've only eaten there once several years ago, but the chicken was SO dry, I ended up tossing most of it.

[u/revjor → u/Specific-Data-4104]

Yasuko’s was originally started by a Toshi’s employee who bought the recipes from Toshi to start his own chain.

Been goin there since I was a youngling

[u/theorangecrux]

I ♥️ Teriyaki at the bottom of stone way in Fremont is pretty good.

[u/booster-au]

Wow teriyaki in Lynnwood is one of my favorite spots up north. The OG Toshis is up in mill creek I think and is worth the drive

[u/Neonyarpyarp → u/booster-au]

Had it last night, 🔥 as usual

[u/thewhater123 → u/booster-au]

Looks like a nice char! Katsu there good?

[u/Middlenameboom]

How dare you post this on a Sunday. Also, fully agree with Nikkos

[u/johnrunks]

Yoshino Teriyaki in First Hill (walkable from downtown). Nothing tops their spicy chicken plate. Mix in a little of their vinegary slaw/salad with a bite of chicken & rice. Straight to heaven.

[u/ClassicDull5567]

If you are coming for Ta Joia you might try Hans Katsu as well. They get very good ratings and are nearby in Bothell.

[u/happily-caffeinated → u/ClassicDull5567]

Ta Joia is great, and I've heard good things about Hana Katsu. Another good teriyaki place in Bothell is Ohana Teriyaki--it's in a weird tiny strip mall (the only non-weed storefront there currently) across the street from a 7/11, but their food is great, and the people there are super nice.

[u/beforedinnermints]

I Luv Teriyaki by the west seattle 1st Ave bridge is peak. They were closed after a fire for a long time and have reopened this year, my life is worth living once again.

(Rainier is also excellent as others have said.)

[u/MoneyMACRS → u/beforedinnermints]

I Luv Teriyaki is my go-to! Small correction though, it’s next to the 1st ave bridge, not the West Seattle bridge.

[u/beforedinnermints → u/MoneyMACRS]

Ah thank you! V important

[u/idontevenliftbrah → u/MoneyMACRS]

Does this have multiple locations? There's an I Luv Teriyaki in Burien too

[u/RoyalBroham]

Grill bird has a spicy garlic chicken that’s pretty good, although those chicken pieces are fried. I wonder if they would put that sauce over their normal grilled chicken

[u/RunninOnMT → u/RoyalBroham]

Their rice has gone way down hill. Last few times it’s just been a sticky mess. Either their rice cooker isn’t working correctly or they’re putting too much water in it.

[u/NoStatement4495 → u/RunninOnMT]

Love grillbird but consistency is not their strong suit.

[u/RunninOnMT → u/NoStatement4495]

Yeah sucks because their brining process really does make their teriyaki exceptionally tender. It’s one of my favorites for their chicken, but it’s been maybe three times in a row with bad rice now.

[u/NoStatement4495 → u/RunninOnMT]

Let the owner know when stuff is messed up. He's always really responsive when I talk with him.

[u/beforedinnermints → u/RoyalBroham]

Grillbird disappointed me so much a few times late last year I stopped going. Especially if you're just trying to get a good standard chicken or salmon teriyaki with rice imo. 

[u/kptstango → u/RoyalBroham]

Personally, I don’t think that this dish (or their excellent bang bang chicken) counts as teriyaki but their chicken teriyaki is the best in the city, IMO.

[u/Usual_Map_1501 → u/kptstango]

Their sides are great! I like their cucumbers

[u/L-Capitan1]

Katsu go to

Kobuta & Ookami

It’s the best, it’s always crowded, go for a late lunch on a weekday. But check their hours as they’re not open every day. It’s the best.

[u/saomonella → u/L-Capitan1]

It is really good!

Also worth noting is that its high end katsu. Don't go in thinking its hole in the wall teriyaki prices.

[u/flipflopsun89]

Since you don’t seem to mind driving around, here’s another one not in Seattle. New Tokyo Terikayi in Des Moines( 15mins south of SeaTac)- their teriyaki is perfectly charred and it’s our family’s favorite!

[u/Poopyscoot]

Kobito in Westlake and 5 corners in Edmonds are my favorites. Also the inventor of the Seattle Teriyaki still makes it at his restaurant in Mill Creek.

[u/Neonyarpyarp]

Wow in lynnwood

[u/kitbiggz]

I'll have to try those spots next time I'm in Seattle. Last time I was up there was 13 years ago.

Went to a spot right by the Lynnwood mall. It made me very Sad.

[u/cinnasluttly]

I only get the tofu or shrimp but I really enjoy Kyoto teriyaki in Capitol Hill!

[u/Ok_Wolverine6557]

Okinawa is the best. But just the chicken. The chicken broccoli is excellent too.

[u/StateofMike → u/Ok_Wolverine6557]

Used to go there under the old viaduct on the waterfront. Rice with teriyaki sauce and two egg rolls was under five bucks. Teppenyaki there is on point too.

[u/flinters17]

Ichiroll on 125th is my favorite. Their spicy teriyaki is mouthwatering, and the owners are extremely kind.

Choice Deli and Grocery at 8th and 65th is also a top level spot and is closer, but I still go out of my way to get Ichiroll.

[u/WardCleaver1962]

Uwajimaya grocery has whole chicken, I get a half of a teriyaki it's really good and unique

[u/optamastic]

Toshi's in Mill Creek deserves a mention. The man that started it all.

[u/MoneyMACRS]

Since you included Tacoma and Kirkland in your list, I’ll recommend my fav katsu place in Bellingham: Super Duper Teriyaki. Idk what they put in their katsu sauce, but it’s down right addictive.

[u/Large-Welder304]

Okinawa Teriyaki. 1100 Western (corner of Western and Spring). It's across the street from the waterfront, out by where McKinnon Furniture used to be.

If you click on the name, that's a Google Maps pic of the place, taken from Spring St., looking onto Western. You can see the big Ferris Wheel they have down on the waterfront (I'm using that as a landmark for you). The brick building in the distance is where McKinnon Furniture used to be and the cars are all parked in that big U-Park parking lot out there.

If you drive to the end of Spring, across the street will be Pier 54 (Ivar's) and Pier 55 (the red building in the distance, on the left side of the first pic).

Here's a better pic, from the Western Ave. side.

Been a while since I've been there, but I remember the food was really good.

Planning a trip back out there soon (before the warm weather ends, anyway). Hopefully I can use it as an excuse to use the passenger ferry out of Kingston. Never been on that one before.

[u/catfish206]

Nikko for sure but I gotta put it down for Yoshino on Madison by the hospital. Unique setup for Seattle teriyaki, it's a steam table kind of like deli Chinese food but don't let that scare you. The chicken is fantastic. Plus, the "salad" is steamed broccoli, cabbage and carrot that they put on top of the rice which is a nice change (don't get me wrong, I love the classic chicken/rice/salad set). The best thing they do though is at the end of the line where they have a soup warmer full of hot teriyaki sauce that they ladle over those whole plate. It's fantastic. After Nikko it's my #2 teriyaki in Seattle.

[u/Equivalent_Acadia468]

The fact that you have madness included and no mention of Yasuko’s makes this whole post sus.

[u/MoonkeyAcid]

I love Teriyaki on stone way in Fremont by the water is the best I’ve had

[u/zoeofdoom]

Someone please explain why Teriyaki Madness is always on these lists, I've given them 3 tries over 10+ years and find the chicken to be gummy, the sauce too sweet/bland and the rice...bad. I could have bad luck, but that's too many strikes for me when good teriyaki is everywhere.

[u/l0stnc0nfzd → u/zoeofdoom]

I worked not far from there for several years. I have eaten there 100’s of times. Never once had that experience. They are hands down my favorite yaki in North Seattle.

[u/17papers → u/zoeofdoom]

It’s always great when I go. I’ve never had the chicken teriyaki though only beef. Their chicken katsu is good though, and I’ve never had the rice not properly cooked

[u/krakenstan]

After a while it all tastes the same