wa'z in Downtown Seattle offers Chef Hiro's Kaiseki tasting menu at a counter with kitchen views, plus lunch service, reserved by phone.
At a glance
- Price
- $$$$
- Chef
- Hiro
- Booking
- Phone reservations
- Category
- Counter onlyLunch omakase
- Cuisine
- Kaiseki
- Price
- Luxury
wa'z sits on Cedar St in Downtown Seattle and serves a modern Northwest take on Kaiseki, the multi-course Japanese tasting format with roots in tea-ceremony meals. The restaurant offers both a dining room and a Chef's Counter, where guests sit facing the kitchen and watch Chef Hiro prepare each course.
The Chef's Counter is the restaurant's signature seat: full kitchen sightlines, direct interaction with Chef Hiro, and a chef's-choice Kaiseki sequence that changes with the season. Lunch service is also available, in addition to dinner, which is less common among Kaiseki-style restaurants in the area.
Hours vary through the week. Wednesday and Thursday service runs 18:00 to 20:00, Friday and Saturday 17:00 to 22:00, and Sunday 13:00 to 19:00; the restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday. Reservations are handled by phone rather than an online booking system.
wa'z is classified in the luxury price tier, consistent with a full Kaiseki tasting format and counter seating limited in number. The menu structure draws on Japanese imperial, Buddhist temple, and samurai household culinary traditions, reflected in the plating and course progression rather than in any single dish. Guests considering the Chef's Counter should expect the meal to run as a fixed sequence rather than an à la carte order.
Good to know
- How do I book a table at wa'z?
- Reservations are made by phone at (206) 441-7119; there is no online booking listed.
- Is lunch available, or only dinner?
- wa'z offers lunch service in addition to dinner, though lunch hours should be confirmed directly with the restaurant when booking.
- What is the Chef's Counter experience?
- The Chef's Counter is a dedicated seating area facing the kitchen, where diners can watch Chef Hiro prepare the Kaiseki courses and interact with him during the meal.
- What should I expect to pay?
- wa'z is listed in the luxury price tier; exact pricing for the Kaiseki tasting menu or Chef's Counter should be confirmed by phone when reserving.
- What are the operating days and hours?
- wa'z is closed Monday and Tuesday; it's open Wednesday and Thursday 18:00–20:00, Friday and Saturday 17:00–22:00, and Sunday 13:00–19:00.
Details checked October 1, 2026. Prices and hours change; confirm before you go.
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