BIZNOTE: West Seattle Junction’s Kamei Japanese Restaurant closing in a few months

Thanks for the tips. Kamei Japanese Restaurant in The Junction (4512 California SW) has confirmed via its website what it’s been telling customers for a while – that it’s closing after the end of the year. The announcement notes that the restaurant’s been there for more than 20 years and adds, “We’ve been lucky and honored to be part of this West Seattle community and will miss seeing the faces of our friends and family that come by to eat sushi and be merry. We’ll still only be open for pickup until we close in early 2022.” Though this wasn’t cited in Kamei’s message, it should be noted that the site’s long been planned for redevelopment – the proposed project finished Design Review two years ago.

photon October 24, 2021 (8:02 pm)

Nooo! They have the best tempura. We’ve really appreciated their Covid safety, too.

Sue H October 24, 2021 (8:10 pm)

Oh no … That’s one of my favorite West Seattle restaurants.

Hold on October 24, 2021 (8:29 pm)

After reading the article from two years ago, it included Lee’s Asian. Are they closing too?

Chiquita October 24, 2021 (8:43 pm)

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!This is a real bummer.

Jissy October 24, 2021 (9:02 pm)

I’ve known about this for a long time but had hoped the plan had changed…. LOVE this place and the amazing family that runs it. They will truly be missed, their food always had that super secret ingredient. ♥️

Kadoo October 24, 2021 (9:19 pm)

I’m so sad. I love their yakisoba noodles. The people are very nice and I will miss them so much.

onion October 24, 2021 (9:30 pm)

This suggests that Lee’s won’t be with us much longer either, at least in their current location.,

WSB October 24, 2021 (9:56 pm)

We have not checked with the owner/developer yet, so we don’t know that for sure. All we can say is that in the city files, the project appears to be continuing to proceed through the permit process.

JKR October 24, 2021 (9:58 pm)

One of our favorite West Seattle restaurants. We’ve been going there for 14 years. They’ve watched our kids grow up! My eldest asked once for the recipe for the salad dressing…and it is true it is super secret. We will miss Kamei! All the best to this wonderful family.

Anw October 24, 2021 (10:00 pm)

Thank you, Kamei, for many years of service and yummy food! You have been a birthday selection by our kids over the years. We will miss you!!! We’ll be ordering soon! Take care and best wishes!

west sea neighbor October 25, 2021 (9:25 am)

I learned about this a few weeks ago when I was placing an order. They said that it is partially due to the redevelopment, and that Lee’s would be closing too. Makes me very sad. We are rapidly losing these independent, family-owned restaurants.

natinstl October 25, 2021 (12:33 pm)

NOOOOO, I don’t know what I’d do without Lee’s duck.

Mike October 25, 2021 (9:34 am)

Great family and great yakisoba!

Mark Schletty October 25, 2021 (9:54 am)

For those of you who keep pushing for more and more dense no parking development so you will have a walkable neighborhood, this is what you get. You will only be able to walk the neighborhood, without the rest of us, but there will be no good local businesses left to walk to. They cant afford to rent in new buildings. Enjoy.

D-Ridge October 25, 2021 (4:06 pm)

These buildings already didn’t have parking.
D-Ridge October 25, 2021 (4:07 pm)

There isn’t parking at this building currently, there will be 17 spots after…?

Chris K October 25, 2021 (10:09 am)

I will be sad to see these guys go.

Brad October 25, 2021 (10:30 am)

Been going here for years, best sushi in (at least) West Seattle and friendly service. Thanks for the delicious food served with a smile over the years. You will be missed, and best of luck to you all.

DogMom October 25, 2021 (10:48 am)

This is so sad. Feels like everything that makes our West Seattle neighborhoods so wonderful are being chipped away, bit by bit, replaced by over-priced, cookie cutter apartment complexes.

D-Ridge October 25, 2021 (12:57 pm)

These buildings were cookie cutter themselves at one point, they’re just one-story wood framed buildings like those built throughout the country in the 20th century.Change can be hard but this means new homes for people, new customers within walking distance for nearby businesses, and extra gains towards reducing our dependency on driving.
- Natinstl October 25, 2021 (7:16 pm)
  
  If these businesses keep getting replaced by new buildings all we’ll be left with is the Chipotle’s of the world.
- alki_2008 October 27, 2021 (9:45 pm)
  
  If businesses are left to just the residents within walking distance, then they cannot survive profitably. There needs to be customer parking for people from further away to patronize these small businesses. Just the people living in walking or biking distance is not enough to overcome their costs of doing business.

K October 25, 2021 (10:56 am)

We love love LOVE Kamei and will miss them so much. The family and food are both wonderful!

Sherman Olsen October 25, 2021 (11:30 am)

What a bummer. Good food and good value. Customer service is hard, but the people there have always been unfailingly pleasant, which kept me choosing Kamei over other options. Best of luck to the family.

s October 25, 2021 (12:06 pm)

This place is my #1 favorite restaurant in West Seattle. The food and the people. Sad to see them go!

natinstl October 25, 2021 (12:34 pm)

Apartments with no businesses on our main street, seems like there should be a way to integrate the two. Not a neighborhood without small business.

S.A. October 25, 2021 (7:20 pm)

Looks to me like the design incorporates ground-floor retail…
- WSB October 25, 2021 (7:38 pm)
  
  Yes, as linked, the planned redevelopment project is mixed-use.