Katsuya Hollywood

The food here is A++. Me and a group of friends went for a friend's birthday. When our party arrived, they walked us to our table, they pull back curtains and revealed a private room for our group of 8. It was FANTASTIC. Our waitress was super attentive (although there is quite a bit of running around that goes on, as it is such a busy establishment). She was wonderful. The fish is soo fresh, it is amazingly wonderful. I had the jalepeno yellowtail sashimi for appetizer and it is to die for. Along with that I had the crispy rice with spicy tuna...my absolute favorite dish. I wasn't that fond of the shisito peppers appetizer (it was a little underseasoned ...like it needed a bit of acid or something). And the miso soup was classic. For dinner I had a spicy tuna sushi roll with rock shrimp on top of it (EXCELLENT) and salmon sushi (SUPER FRESH). I recently went to the Brentwood location and loved the ambiance even more...it's more rectangle and large (as opposed to the hollywood location that is split into areas and divided by the reception/bar area. Both are uber trendy and the food was equally excellent at both locations. The creme brulee was pretty good.. and I also had an apple tart like thing...which was decent. Bottom line is that I'm a huge sushi fanatic and the freshness and quality is exceptional at these two restaurants. I'm gonna try Nobu next and let you know what I think!

Pros: The freshness and quality of the sushi

Cons: A little haphazard service...but if you're used to ethnic restaurants....then it's very good!

Posted 02/23/09

my mum and i had a short break in LA and was booked this table at katsuya by friends. as we'd never eaten sushi before we were a bit apprehensive. we arrived on a Sunday night to very friendly staff and shown straight to our table, the waiter that we had was brilliant and very helpful we explained we'd not eaten this before and he basically ordered for us and thank god he did. it was delicious and he couldn't have ordered better. Also the puddings were fab! it was quite expensive but we enjoyed it and came from England to try it! our only gripe was when the taxi driver dropped us off we were a little scared!!!! there were lots of people hanging about outside the door.

Pros: fast food

Cons: slightly rushed

Posted 02/17/09

went for dinner with party of 6. the waiter was stressful and kept harassing us to order. we spent $300 for the 6 people, and yet he made us feel like we needed to order more. great food, but pretentious people that work there.

Pros: food

Cons: service

Posted 01/18/09

This restaurant is nothing to rave about considering there are hundreds of others like it in LA. When I walked it felt like I was walking into a spaceship. I was waiting for the Jetsons to come in and sit next to us. The staff yelled the standard Japanese greeting which was cheesy. Leave that to traditional sushi chefs. The food is ok. Pretty good except the sushi, which was bland. Good trendy drinks. I'd come here again if I was invited but won't voluntarily go back.

Pros: drinks

Cons: ambience is tacky

Posted 12/26/08

this place is over priced by far, and the service is not the best it could be on some nights, but it had that hollywood feel, too bougie for me i suppose.

Posted 12/16/08

First, let me say one thing. If you are indeed a female, and your are ...
1. not wearing heels
2. not wearing something tight
3. not good-looking..
You will be stared down not only by the people who assign you a table, but by everyone else in the restaurant. Basically, you have to be slim, slender, or thin to feel comfortable. While it is a restaurant, it is also a show and tell runway as soon as you walk in. I felt like I was at a go-see the whole time. While the food is really good( the crab and mozzarella thing was amazing), you can't even eat in peace without someone looking or staring at you. Just be aware, you have to look good to eat peacefully. Sounds ridiculous, but, its true. Especially if you are as young as me(18), people look right through you. If you don't like competitive environments, I suggest you do not eat here.. especially at night. You will feel paranoid 24/7. It is actually a positive thing to say that everywhere you turn, you see an attractive person; you will never get bored of sight. Trust me. The whole night, my friends and I were basically eye-flirting with other men. Sort of child-ish to say, but it's true. That's just the way it is if you show up with all of your girl friends and happen to sit next to a group of guys. Money wise, be sure to bring a credit card AND about 50$ cash. You definitely have to valet your car. Hollywood is crazy and we all know this.. Anyway, I must say that when they do retrieve your car, be prepared to be embarrassed if it is not one of the following: BMW, Mercedes.. Just to let you know. As I said previously, the food is good, and take your time ordering. My friends and I had the menu by our sides ordering whatever we wanted. Your meal will be significantly cheaper if you are under 21(hint: alcohol is pretty up there). Unfortunately for us, all we could enjoy was seeing other people sip their alcohol. Oh, and beware of the geisha in the bathroom. This lady walked in and completely flipped out.

Pros: good looking people,environment

Cons: service,

Posted 11/15/08

We arrived five minutes early for our 8.30 reservation on a Friday night - we were told our table would be ready in a few minutes and that we could have a drink at the bar while we were waiting. We ordered lychee martinis, but the bartender mixed them wrong so they tasted horrible. She had to try a second time and ended up giving us extremely short pours - so frustrating when you're paying $14/drink.. After waiting a half hour, I checked back in with the hostess on the status of our table - again, I was told our table would be ready in a few minutes. At 9.30 - after we had been waiting at the bar for over an hour - I checked back in with the hostess and received the same response. By that point, I was extremely angry - no one should have to wait over an hour for their reservation when the restaurant is not even busy - so I demanded to speak to a manager. It took them another 10 minutes to figure out where to seat us - the icing on the cake was seeing 4 tables open that could have sat our party of three. The point is the crowd was not cool, the drinks were not worth the money and the service was terrible. If you want good sushi, try the original Katsuya in Studio City; if you want a cool ambiance, try Koi or Geisha House.

Cons: Service!!!

Posted 11/06/08

I had to try this place after hearing numerous coworkers rave about it. We waited for our table at the bar where I had to try the mandarin drink which was surprisingly delicious. The food was REALLY good. People complain about overpriced, but like I've said before you have to pay a bit more for quality food in an atmosphere like this. The albacore with lemon sauce was amazing as was the kobe beef dish. I loved the eggplant but my girlfriends didn't. The rolls were pretty good nothing to talk about, but the sashimi was definitely very fresh. Dessert was mediocre (have to mention....nothing compared to Geisha house desserts). The service was a bit snooty, but at the same time the waitress was very helpful and attentive especially considering how busy it was (we went at 9 on a friday night). The decor is beautiful and overall we had a great experience. I will be going back again.

Pros: Drinks and Food

Posted 09/29/08

Another master piece by Sam Nazarian, probably the best sushi restaurant you can possibly take your date or a friend to. The interior designs are amazingly well-done and the staff are very friendly.

Posted 09/08/08

I made reservations at this restaurant on a Friday night at 9pm, I showed up at 845pm and ended up getting seated at 9:50pm. Mind you yes they were busy, but there were several people that walked in and got seated right away or within 15 minutes. I felt like this location was discriminating and choosing people with a certain race to be seated right away. I get that it is a trendy restaurant and fairly new, but to wait that long for a table when I had made reservations there is absurd. I have eaten at the Katsuya in Brentwood several times and never had an issue when I made reservations. I would suggest if you like Katsuya go to the one in Brentwood or Studio City stay away from the Hollywood location it SUX!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pros: i have nothing nice to say about this location

Cons: dont bother making reservations it doesnt guarantee anything

Posted 09/02/08

Had a great time. All the food was really good, and the service was great. The specialty drinks are delicious. Will be going back very soon.

Pros: Food, Drinks, Food

Posted 08/26/08

The food is good and I had good service. The only problem I had was with the arrogant manager Terrance. I can?t believe someone like that is able to manage a high end restaurant. His fake smile and sarcastic charm is absolutely appalling. I would eat here again but I would avoid conversation with this peice of work.

Pros: the rest is beautiful... service is good

Cons: Avoid Terrance the manger... he is awful

Posted 08/19/08

This was the worst experience I have ever had in Los Angeles. The hostess was so rude, the bar was full of angry people, and the food is not worth the trouble. Will never return, nor will anyone in my party of 4. TERRIBLE!!!

Pros: none

Cons: parking, reservations/front staff, everything

Posted 08/09/08

By far, the WORST experience ever!
Upon entering, the scene appears buzzing and a fun LA restaurant, however the music was so loud we had to shout to be heard. Our reservation was for 815, a party of 5. We were told our table would be ready in a few minutes and to wait at the bar. We all had cocktails, which attempted to be new and interesting but were in fact less than mediocre. Half an hour later we were still not seated, and a growing number of people were accumulating at the front desk. An hour later, we were still waiting and watched as several people would enter and be seated straight away. The hostess was dismissive and condescending, she had over 6 different parties waiting to be seated most of whom had been waiting over an hour. However, for the entire hour, there were three empty tables, able to seat 15 people who she reserved for a large party. Why not split up the tables to seat half the people waiting around?! After waiting a further 15 minutes, we informed the hostess we were leaving and would never come back. She was not apologetic in the slightest, and seemed almost relieved to have us out of her hair. 2 more of the parties waiting with us left after never being seated. It was 930 and one group had been waiting since 8.

It appeared to me that this restaurant was more concerned for their image than for their customers. The music was so loud it could be heard on the street, no one was being seated and the bar had no chairs so someone walking outside would see through the huge glass doors and think it was fun and a 'happening' LA scene. Speaking Spanish, I could overhear the head valet telling 5 valet guys that it was time to get some cars once they had accumulated a large enough crowd outside the restaurant. All these people were just waiting for their cars, but again to a passerby would make the restaurant appear more hip and happening. I will NEVER return and will make sure no one i know will ever go either.

Pros: It appears hip and happening.

Cons: It is all for show, hostess and managers are rude and still hadn't seated us after 80 min!

Posted 08/03/08

We were a party of 5 with reservations for 8.30 pm. We arrived a few minutes early and were told to wait at the bar. After about half an hour we started to realize they did not follow at all who had reservations, who came in first or whose turn it was next. The hostess was rude, had no clue and was most unhelpful. We tried to talk to a manager, who seemed totally lost and confused. It was total chaos. We were there for nearly and hour, before we gave up and left. At the valet parking there were several other groups complaining of ill treatment, who swore would never go back. Terrible experience!!

Cons: Loud, terrible service,

Posted 08/03/08

Our party of 4 arrived for our reservation and we were directed to the bar. Not thinking much about it, we waited for about 15 minutes as we saw numerous friends of the front staff being seated. When we inquired we were told they were being seated at the sushi bar. ALL LIES!! When we finally were seated, both of the "friends" seated before us were at tables. Horribly mismanaged, and the front staff is a collection of idiots.

We average about 4 nights out a week for dinner. There are far too many places that are gracious to their customers, and recognize we are the reason they are in business, not visa versa. Won't be returning, nor will anyone in our party. I give this place maybe 6 months. There were two other people who were sitting by us at the bar who had been waiting that were so angry they left.

Pros: none

Cons: reservations don't matter if their friends come in.

Posted 07/23/08

NOT VIP!!! That is what i was told the reasoning was for our 40 minute wait for our table. I approached the hostess behind the counter and she informed me she had the tables she had seated who had just walked in because they were reserved for their VIP's. I quickly asked for the manager and she promptly held her hand up for me to stop talking and walked to get the manager. He remedied the situation by seating us and apologizing, but to the cute little minimum wage seater, that is why you will always be seating people and we will be eating. I don't expect any sort of special treatment, but nobody deserves to be treated like that. Our waitress was great, the food is good, and after the front experience, was generally ok.

Oh, and for the record, after the delight in the front sat three of the hip-hop honeys (extras) from 3 of the music videos i produced, by definition of their VIP rule, and we simply asked when our table would be ready, and why the delay, and given the not VIP answer, the #1 german tennis player, who just returned from wimbledon, one of the founders of CNET, and most sought after consultants all things technology based, and me, who works as an executive at one of the largest entertainment companies in the world, were allowed to be seated. Thank you so much Katsuya. Next time, we will call ahead and ask who is on your VIP list.

Pros: good food, wait staff great.

Cons: front hostess, dismissal of reservation, ridiculous and unneccessary attitude upon arrival.

Posted 07/15/08

We had a wonderful exprience here. The food was sooo good.. I mean all of it!! The drinks were so good including the lychee martinis and the watermleon cucumber mojitos..loved those. The service was really good, they were attentive and prompt with the food. Overall we had a great time and we will certainly return.

Pros: Food, Ambience, Drinks, Service

Cons: Traffic on Sunset...takes a long time to get there

Posted 06/22/08

I've been to may high-end sushi restaurants and this is my fav place. Went there on a Wednesday and it was packed! I made reservations and definitely recommend it. 3 of us shared the Sushi combo, sashimi combo and the miso black cod, the shrimp roll and tempura roll with a great cold sake bottle. The fish was very fresh, excellent quality. the miso black cod was my favorite, I've tried a similar recipe at other high-end sushi places and their recipe is top knotch, the fish is not overwhelmed with the miso sauce and its cooked just right. I was a little disappointed on the tempura roll, the inner fried shrimp was very small and not meaty but just doughy, it didnt have any sauce as I am used to from other restaurants. (other places serve it in some teriyaki style sauce). For dessert I ordered the creme brulee, I would have liked it served warmer but it was really good as is. The waitress was a little clumsy, she poured water in my sprite and had to bring me back another one. Total was $170 which is normal for an establishment like this. The waiter recommended the cold sake we had and its my fav now, I was surprised they bagged the empty bottle for me! oh, and if you ask where the restrooms are- they will even escort you! service was ok (it really depends on your waiter), ambiance was amazing and food was awesome!

Pros: Ambiance, food

Cons: Pricey parking

Posted 06/03/08

I have gone to the Studio City and Encino (non-sbe) restaurant for years. I have even been to the Glendale locaiton. They all offered great food, and very good service. The Encino location service and hospitatlity is stellar. But I cannot say the same about this already tired looking Hollywood location. The service is unacceptable, snotty and non-exsistant. The woman (she could not be called a server) who took our order was snotty from the moment she approached the table and tried to get us to order bottled water with our lunch. She was then put off when I asked her to repeat herself... needless to say, it just went downhill from there. One of my friends then asked for change for her dollar for the meter and the bartender refused to give her change--c'mon! At least the busboy was prompt with the iced tea. I know their food is good--but their service is terrible!

Pros: Food, Decor,

Cons: Service is Terrible!

Posted 06/02/08

I've just recently moved to LA and I've heard many things about this place. Let's just say it wasn't what I expected when I went to experience it myself. I thought the portion where little for the price. When I order the Rainbow Roll I thought it was gonna be good but the fishes were not fresh. The tuna was really chewy. Their service was really good though, but they did make me it seem like they were rushing me to leave. Maybe it just wasn't the day to try Katsuya.

Posted 05/31/08

I love the original location of Katsu-ya in Studio City and also the one in Encino. I've had numerous great meals at both locations. The Hollywood location of Katsuya is decent, but it seems like it's lost some of the flavor. The decor was great, and the service was wonderful, but the sushi could have been better. If you're looking for great sushi minus the paparazzi and the $20 valet, try Shintaro nearby.

Pros: service and decor

Cons: valet parking is ridiculously expensive; the food is not as good as Katsuya in Studio City

Posted 05/26/08

Wow, I'm not sure where to start.

The Bad:
Sushi: No high end sushi should serve imitation crab. How do you serve imitation crab, add fried shrimp in soy paper and call it your signature roll. Awful! The quality of the fish is good, but the portions are small. They call it family style dining by serving a regular sized sushi roll on a large plate!

Service: We had a party of 9, waiter insisted on ordering sushi for the party. Sounded great until he began bringing us rolls that had only 8 pieces. One person was denied a type of sushi every time. Other than serving only two types of sushi, the waiter continued by serving us the fish dishes that were very difficult to split between a party. Eventually, we told the waiter that we didn't want to break the bank with how he was serving and that was the last time our waiter showed up at our table. Thats service for you. We were also seated at a table where no one was able to talk, because it was so loud and seating placement.

The Good:
The secondary waiters continued to serve drink, after drink. This was their method to take out minds off of the poor food selection.

Overall:
Katsuya obviously spent a lot of money making the restaurant look nice. Unfortunately, they paid for it by serving poor quality sushi and poor service. If you're looking for a place to be seen. This is it. If your looking for a good meal, look elsewhere. We eventually complained to the manager, he apologized and acknowledged the poor experience and deducted our $1000 bill by $60.

Pros: Good Scene

Cons: Poor Service, Expensive for average sushi

Posted 04/30/08

Not as good as other Katsuya locations and their sticky rice tasted more like smoked rice. But the sushi was A+, especially the hard to find items.

Pros: Wonderful sushi

Cons: slow service and menu items over cooked

Posted 04/16/08

I was here last week for the first time. I try to avoid scenester restaurants such as this but my companion wanted to go. We didn't have a reservation but walked in on a busy Tuesday night and were seated promptly...major plus!! The hostess was very friendly sans attitude. Our server was great! He was such a happy, helpful guy!! We ended up sitting at a little table at the end of the sushi bar which was great...the sushi was fresh and very good...I had a great experience except for all the wanna-be's cranning their necks everytime the door opens to check out whoever walks in...and that's not the restaurants fault!!! .would definitely go back

Pros: great food

Cons: preening clientele

Posted 03/31/08

had reservations and got pushed off to a small table which was ridiclous. we frequently eat at the originalin Studio city location and this does not match in quality from the food to the service. not happy at all

Pros: tables

Cons: food

Posted 02/23/08

Well, since my past career involved consulting for restaurants here is another honest review. I have to say that I been to Katsuya Brentwood, Studio City and Hollywood a lot!! The reason for this is simple. They have the most creative cocktail program in LA. From the burning Mandarin to the Katsuya Fresh the cocktails are sensational. How ever, eating at a table can be a gamble. The ONLY reason I have been there so many times is purely for the drinks. The food is good and is considerably better than Geisha House and Koi. Prices are high and the execution is above average. Staff are very friendly and appreciate regular guests. The only down side is the price for the cocktails and food. What is a disappointment is S BAR. The fact you can't get the same cocktails from Katsuya is ridiculous. The other problem --> the drinks at S BAR are the most expensive in LA. I suppose you are paying for the upside down pine apple lamp shade and all the other upside lampshades that hang from the ceiling. Two beers = $20 with tip?? HHmmmm- But enjoy Katsuya as I will still go. The valet is a complete rip off and will turn people away. There are only so many times the people who live above Katsuya will eat there... Once they stop maybe the General Manager will realize that the contract with that Valet company needs to be addressed as it leaves a really bad taste in your mouth once you leave.

Pros: Drinks, Food, Service

Cons: Valet, S BAR, Prices

Posted 02/17/08

Yesterday i got a haircut by some great gal down at the beach and then came out for a meal with the guys. I would say check this place out for yourself. The food was good but the atmosphere was a bit too family guy for me. we went elsewhere for cocktails. Sushi was very fresh.

Posted 02/02/08

Katsuya's many is similar to most other sushi places in Hollywood, e.g. Koi, Geisha House etc.
The albacore is a must try and the crispy rice is not bad either, although I would recommend Koi's crispy rice tuna over Katsuya's. The rolls are also excellent at Katsuya, I would rate those better than Koi's or Geisha House's.

The Phillip Starck designed restaurant gives you a special dining experience in addition to the good food.
It was great dining experience. Staff were not particularly friendly but definitely was not rude like other seen-and-be-seen places in Hollywood

Pros: Ambience and Food

Cons: Parking

Posted 01/24/08

Great location! Katsuya has a lively atmosphere and a fun vibe. Big selection of specialty drinks. The sushi is mediocore. But, one dish that stands out is the tempura shrimp which is delicious. The overpriced valet left a bad taste in my mouth. Ridiculous amount to pay for an eatery that is not on the Sunset strip.

Pros: Decor, Bar Menu

Cons: $15 overpriced Valet

Posted 12/30/07

The sushi and the service were fine. The atmosphere is a bit cold. The BIG shock is when you go outside to retrieve your car from the valet service Katsuya contracts with...$15! It takes at least 10 minutes to get your car...the prices of the valet service are posted in very small type on the sidewalk side of the valet kiosk. Very dishonest. This is cetainly the most expensive place to valet in all of LA. What is Katsuya's management thinking?? Just go to Katsuya in Studio City for a cozier atmosphere...excellent sushi and easy parking. All the pretense of Katsuya Hollywood is overrated.

Posted 12/27/07

I was excited to try this Hollywood branch of Katsuya, and yes, first things first, the food was great. But all the d-bag minuses outweighed the gastronomic pluses. Katsuya Hollywood is more about seeing and being seen than about enjoying your dining experience. If you want to feel like you're in a club in Hollywood, by all means, pay the fifteen dollar valet and go. If you want good sushi, find it somewhere else. There are plenty of great options in the area. Thanks for reading.

Posted 12/15/07

Two days ago, I went to dinner at Katsuya. There were twelve people in my party. When the check came I was the only person who paid with a visa check card. Everyone else paid in cash. I signed a receipt for my portion of the bill (roughly $84). Later that evening, I saw online that the restaurant also authorized a SECOND charge on my account for $534.40!!! It caused my account to go into overdraft. The next day I returned to Katsuya with my receipt and asked to speak to the manager. The hostesses were rather dismissive and told me it was during business hours and the manager was busy. I guess since I was in sneakers and cargo pants, instead of being dressed up like the previous night, I didn't look like I was worthy of their time. I told them it was important and I would wait. Eventually I saw the manager and explained my situation. I requested that the charge be reversed. She told me that the restaurant was unable to reverse the charge, that only the corporate office could. She couldn't give me a reason why I was charged such a large amount, especially since the rest of the bill was paid in cash and was an entirely different amount. Furthermore she stated that this had occurred to another customer and most likely the charge would fall off on Monday (the following business day). However, I explained to her that in the meantime, the charge had tied up all the funds in my account and caused my account to go into overdraft. She gave me the number to the corporate office. Today I was unable to get a person on the phone at the corporate office, only automated recordings. I have yet to get the charge reversed and I have no recourse. My bank said the funds were placed on hold until Thursday. I cannot officially dispute the charge until it posts as an actual transaction. Meanwhile I am unable to use card to even get gas because Katsuya has tied up my funds. What should have been a fun night out has turned into a financial nightmare!

Pros: none

Cons: poor customer service

Posted 12/09/07

For anyone who knows the Katsuya specialties, you can't go wrong. Delicious and inventive sushi and sashimi with a few famous specialities. This location is great, and obviously quite trendy. High ceilings modern setting and celebrity chasers outside. I found the service to be OK not great, with the waiting staff being a litte bit impersonal, but i loved the fact that you can actually read from a menu instead of trying to figure out what's on tap by reading the board on the wall (their other location). Philip Starck furniture starts feeling a bit 'last decade' but still looks good. Great to impress out of towners (am doing that tonight...) who will sample 2 good things LA has to offer - crazy sushi and Hollywood Blvd.

Posted 11/28/07

i used to serve at several sushi restaurants(hey, stick with what you know) as i know good flavors of sushi and fresh fish and was looking forward to the new "hotspot" and have to say was extremely let down. along with the other reviews, the server recommended seemingly the most expensive dishes, hey its ok, sometimes they're really good. I tried the quintessential LA spicy tuna on crispy rice and thought nothing really of it. The spicy tuna was neither spicy nor good. Our server, sweet as he was, said it was what katsuya was "known for." If that is the case, chef katsuya should maybe try re-inventing the wheel too. We tried a few other dishes that were all just really, ok. And lunch for two? $115, plus a 20% tip. hey, even if the food wasn't that great, i still tip 20%, because those servers work extremely hard and depend on those tips for survive. And by the way, whats with people in LA tipping 10-15 % on average. Man, when I worked at Roku, I would cringe when I would get some Hollywood types or a table of young adults. Sorry, years of serving boil to the surface. But 20% is the standard what restaurant owners and managers judge their staff by. so if your feeling cheap, don't take it out on the server. And if you want good sushi, I would say go to Sushi Roku or Geisha House down the street. Enjoy!!

Pros: Nice design

Cons: price, food

Posted 11/23/07

The sushi is really good, the service however is not. Double check everything your server "recommends"
It will be the most expensive thing they have, which by the way, is not the best. 2 of us went and our bill was a little over $250. I have been to the Studio City location 30+ times and never even came close to a bill that high.
I live a block away from this location and will never return, I will always go out to Studio City. It is really nice inside, I will give it that - Please, If your server recommends something, check the price before ordering it. Thanks!

Pros: Crab Rolls, Decor

Cons: Service- They only suggest $$$$$ things and are rude-especially the doorman

Posted 11/08/07

What a great looking place. It's nice to be able to see the person next to you for a change in Hollywood. It's not dark, but bright with celebration. The only thing to cheer about are the fantastic Martinis. They are overpriced, but so delicious. The bartender, Ryan, recommended something Mandarin w/ a crushed Serrano pepper in it. Girl, you got me addicted!

As for the food, disappointing. I had a soft-shelled crab roll, it tasted like the spoiled seas. Gross. They have a hot place, but I'm afraid that when it comes to the food, it's just another Los Angeles cosmetic restaurant with no culinary substance.

Pros: The Martinis

Cons: The Food

Posted 11/07/07

I feel bad writing this because I do love the Valley location, but the Hollywood Katsuya just isn't holding up it's end of the bargain. First off, there is no interaction with the sushi chefs. Now, I was there on a Tuesday night and there were 8 chefs. They all seemed pleasant enough, but when I tried to order something my waiter quickly came up and informed me that "I will be serving you tonight". Secondly, there was no board displaying what the days rolls are. Everything you can order is from the menu which takes away the one reason that I would go to Katsuya over any other great place in the Valley. The drinks were good, the doorman friendly, and there was a decent bar. However, design-wise, I have to tell you I was expecting more. With two drinks, one bottled water and four rolls the bill was eighty something dollars so things weren't too expensive at least. But, if I wanted to have sushi in Hollywood I would drive up to Saito's.

Pros: Friendly staff, good drinks, great location

Cons: Only average sushi selection, a bit too much hype

Posted 11/05/07

With a collaboration between Katsuya Ueshi, SBE Entertainment, and Phillpe Starck, one is bound to have high expectations. Having said that, the Katsuya Hollywood experience could be much improved with a little attention to a few details...

Table Setting:
Each table setting includes a white ceramic rectangular dish that serves no visible purpose. It looks nice, but as it serves no specified function, it should be removed from the table setting.

The hashi stone is a garish clear glass rock. It's very tacky, and too slippery to effectively support the hashi. It should be replaced with an actual stone or alternative design. The clear glass nigiri dishes are similarly cold and tacky, and should be replaced.

The Decor:
Very nice (especially the bathroom); but there is too much plastic, which results in a somewhat cheap and unrefined feel to the space. The lighting is too cold and too bright; with such a large restaurant, the lighting should be more controlled so as to effect intimacy, privacy, and coziness. There should be less overhead light and better implementation of indirect light; candles at the tables would help, perhaps. The lighting behind the sushi bar is especially bad.

The Food:
While the fish was of a high quality and served in good portions, the sushi rice was not properly prepared. It was overly moist and sticky, to the degree of unpalatable and unsightly mushiness. At the comparatively high prices charged, this is one element of the Katsuya menu that absolutely must be improved.

On a complimentary note, the cocktails are varied and delicious...

Pros: Location, good looking crowd...

Cons: The rice.

Posted 10/29/07

My husband and I love sushi. I had been working on set across the street and heard wonderful things about this new Japanese restaurant. Sunday night we decided to give it a try and we were amazed at our experience. When we walked through the door we were greeted by the entire staff with a Japanese greeting.
We went to the bar for a drink before we sat for dinner. The bartender recommended we try some specialty cocktails. My husband had the Burning Mandarin and I had a drink with Kiwi. Let me just say that I love the occasional cocktail but these drinks bring new meaning to the word tasty. If it wasn't for the fact that I knew there was liquor in them I would have drank 10. We were seated by a sweet hostess and our waiteress greeted us promptly. We tried everything she suggested and it was all amazing. We went in for sushi and discovered amazing lamb chops and shrimp tempura as well. This was by far one of the best dining experiences we have had in Hollywood. I have already made reservations for our next visit.

Pros: Food, Drinks, Service, Atmosphere

Cons: None

Posted 10/25/07