This place sounds fucking delicious.

A hate it when non-Japanese open Japanese restaurants, though this is a long shot from yakitori. What's with the photo of fried rice with the chopsticks stuck in it. That's a sign of offering to the dead. Cultural ignorance. Nice.

Non Japanese run Japanese restaurants: Fail.

$10 minimum per person? Is there a stand up act as well?

And I thought the Japanese were xenophobic.

@Koguma: As far as I know, it's only when the chopsticks are stuck *upright* in the rice that it's considered a sign of bad luck. If your incense is falling over like in the offending photo, you've angered your ancestors.

The part owner/executive chef is half japanese, born and raised in Japan even though his name is "Billy Beach". Any problem with half Japanese run Japanese restaurant anybody?

I'm excited to try this place out. I miss the food in Japan and very few places have what I'm looking for (I can't go to Maneki all the time...).

@koguma, you're sounding pretty culturally ignorant there, falsely accusing others of cultural ignorance.

The attitude that "only the Japanese can make sushi or Japanese food." It comes down to training and ingredients, not ethnicity, that makes food good. Frankly, I (someone you might call a gaijin) make better sushi rice at home than most of the sushi joints in this town.

If you're pissed at people who are trying to make a quick buck by selling traditional foods without the expertise to do them justice, fine, say so, but don't make racist assumptions about it.

PS It looks like, in the photo, that the photographer just began digging in and placed their chopsticks in their dish. Hardly a sign of cultural ignorance, more like a sign of a hungry staffer from the Stranger.

I became attached to both grilled and smoked mackerel when I was in Japan last winter. Nice to see a picture of what is offered at Kushibar. Looks authentic. (Crave.)

Wow, such comments! I actually ate there Monday 10/20 at 10pm. Only a couple people there. Nice bartender, good service, odd 70's mix of songs playing (Neil Sedaka, Walter Egan, Thin Lizzy, Gloria Gaynor). The $10 Japanese microbrew not worth it. The food however was varied, fresh and tasted very good. They even had okonomiyaki on the menu which is a simple dish in Japan and hardly found in Seattle. Both meat and seafood versions were offered.
I would definately go back.

First of all to @Koguma: you are very ignorant. first of all you assume what they should be...second of all I know at least one of the owners IS japenese. so get over it.
Second of all: this place rocks....you really should go by and try it out...the food is excellent!

Okonomiyaki? I've been craving a good onokonimyaki since visiting Kyoto a couple years ago.

Like others commented above, I LOVE yakitori and ate it constantly when I lived in Japan. We tried the mixed seafood and meat "kushi's" on the HH menu. This stuff was overpriced, overcooked and under-seasoned. I was under-whelmed. The takoyaki and shin gyoza (which I tried because of the mention in the stranger review) were fine. But the frozen versions from Uwaji's are also fine. This place was a total disappointment and I am bummed!!

this is my favorite place for hot house sake and the bartenders rock!!!!!!*****Dave Matthews eats here too.