Kim

Paul Kim has been working in Seattle sushi kitchens for nearly 15 years. Now, on Capitol Hill, he is about to own his first. Sakana Sushi and Kitchen is making preparations to open this spring at 15th and Madison.

“I’ve been in the restaurant industry for almost 15 years and I have always wanted my own restaurant,” Kim said. “It’s finally happening. I am glad things are turning out good.”

Sakana will fill an interesting corner sharing a block with Sichuan-focused Plenty of Clouds and Parma-styled Bar Cotto. Pioneer Square-born Intrigue Chocolate closed its cafe there during the pandemic challenges and it was previously the home of health cafe Healeo.

While the block represents a solid start for a food and drink neighborhood, the corner of 15th and Madison will present some challenges with multi-year construction of the Madison Bus Rapid Transit route underway.

Kim, who has honed his skills running some of Seattle’s busiest conveyor belt sushi places, will start Sakana as a traditional sushi bar. He’s looking forward to having customers be able to come in and sit down after years of shifting pandemic restrictions.

Sakana is also planned as the first of many Kim sushi joints in the greater Seattle area, including downtown and, eventually, Bellevue.

“As long as customers are happy, we are happy. That’s our main focus,” Kim said. “Everybody had a tough time throughout the pandemic and there were a lot of restrictions, but we are just hoping to bring everybody back together at the table.”

Sakana Sushi is hoped to open in May at 1520 15th Ave.

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