Vi Bacchus Sake Bar & Bistro

04/16/2008 Posted by justinvoskuhl

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.

Pros: Fantastic take on Japanese street food.

Cons: Diners expect sushi so they offer it, but go for everything else on the menu!

03/24/2008 Posted by ATinyPal

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!

Pros: Dishes you won't find at other local Japanese restaurants, great value

03/23/2008 Posted by msongbird

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.

Pros: Service, food quality, portions, and selection.

01/16/2008 Posted by csanti

Vi Bacchus (Vi) takes the cake for best sushi restaurant ever in my book. Taka is an excellent sushi chef (previously worked as a sushi chef at the Bellagio in Las Vegas!) and is extremely welcoming and friendly. Emiko welcomes you when you enter the restaurant and serves you throughout the night with a great sense of humor and contagious laughter. Every time I go to dinner at Vi I feel completely relaxed and at ease, you will never have a sense of being rushed at this restaurant. If you are sensitive to your environment, this place is ideal, with deep red and dark walls, high ceilings, wood tables, and eclectic yet coordinated decorations, Vi wraps you in a blanket of comfort. The sushi at Vi is unbeatable - great menu (tons to select from), fresh fish, perfect stickyness to the rice, amazing edamame, and consistently tasty. My friends and I love going to Vi for our dinner out nights to catch up, enjoy great sushi, and relax. The only dangerous thing about Vi that I should warn you about is that it's semi-addicting (must be something in the wasabi) and once you go there you will definitely be coming back for more - again and again :). I rate Vi a 10 out of 5, so if you're in the First/Cap Hill area and are looking for a sushi restaurant, I would highly recommend checking it out.

Pros: Fun Chef, Fabulous Server, All Around Amazing

Cons: Nada

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

01/16/2008 Posted by jkirschn

I've never posted a review before, but after eating my way through the sushi restaurants of Seattle, I thought I'd take a moment to comment on my favorite. At Vi Bacchus the appetizers are delicious and varied, as is the selection of sake. The edamame is always crisp, warm and lightly salted, but never soggy or cold like at some other restaurants. For the tame of heart there are plenty of options, but for the adventurous eater there are also a few less common selections, like the spicy jelly fish. The sushi is fresh, well-portioned, and artfully prepared. I typical prefer nigiri and hand-rolls, and these are both excellent, with good-size pieces of high-grade fish. However, the house rolls at Vi Bacchus are inventive and tasty. The crazy horse is one of my favorites, but the tempura rolls filled with still-warm cooked-to-order tempura are unmatched. The staff is super friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere and decor is fun and tasteful. I saw a famous Japanese baseball player there with his entourage once! Go try it tonight and I promise you'll be back for more.

Pros: Best sushi in town, friendly staff

Cons: None

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

10/20/2007 Posted by sweedld

I find so much to enjoy at Vi Bacchus. It really isn't a typical sushi bar but a "new category" sake bar with some very choice appetizers. Enjoy the wonderful rolls. They are made by an artist and have sashimi grade fish inside and covering them. It is not the cut off ends and pieces made into roll spicy tuna poki you get elsewhere. Sometimes the pieces are too big! The appetizers are varied and well executed. You will find not so common menu items and many are most unusual for the West Coast sushi bar so try them at your leisure with Nigori (unfiltered) sake. Explore the uncommon tastes of Japanes finger food in a relaxing atmosphere for dinner time.

Pros: High quality small platters and appetizers to go with wine, Sake and spirits

Cons: Handles small groups well but not set up for large groups or busy nights

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

10/20/2007 Posted by ezan

We read the past reviews and decided to risk it and give Vi Bacchus a try. Too high priced for a neighborhood location, but decent sushi nonetheless. Definitely go during happy hour when they offer discounted prices on appetizers and drinks, however- their "discounts" seem to us to be what you would NORMALLY pay at other restaurants we have gone to. Aside from happy hour, many menu items are twice as much as they should be for the quality served. One of our appetizers was beautiful and started the evening out on the right foot for us.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

07/20/2007 Posted by seattelite

We went to Bacchus thinking we were going to spend a decent amount of money on good sushi. We got seated within 5 minutes, only to wait over a half hour just to get something to drink. Then, we sat there for another hour and a half waiting for our sushi. The quality of the sushi was just ok compared to the many other sushi places that I have been to. We ended up leaving two and a half hours later and spending over $70 for mediocre sushi. I would eat sushi somewhere else.

Pros: decent sushi

Cons: long wait!, slow service, high prices for quality

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

05/06/2007 Posted by sea_star

Vi Bacchus gave me a short trip to Japan. Sushi & the other dishes are almost same to what I ate in Japan, my home country. sushi is very high quality. I'd recommend "King Capitall Hill Roll". You must be satisfied!! Go to Vi Bacchus and get the real japanese foods!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful

05/05/2007 Posted by karatepal

I've been to Vi-Bacchus several times since last fall. I've had chances to sit at sushi counter facing chef/ owner, Taka. This is the best way to review the quality of fish and chef's ardency in cooking. Mmmm.., he is one of the kind. He treats cooking as an art to provide well prepared food. Well, I am a Japanese businessman; therefore, I appreciate well prepared food as we see in Japan. ViBacchus is the place that I can confidently introduce authentic Japanese food to my American friends. My favorite food at Vi-Bacchus is Bacchus chicken wings with sake, amazing! In addition, nigiri (sushi) using fresh fish/ fresh kobe beef is wonderful. Once I put nigiri in my mouth, harmony of nicely cut fresh fish/ beef and well sized shari (sushi rice) pulls the sensation throughout my brain. Ohhh, I need to earn more money to experience this sensation every day.

Pros: Well prepared food, fresh fish, organically fostered chiken

Cons: ?

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful