Kabuto

This is a good dating restaurant, definitely not for big groups. It is very intimate setting. There were 3 servers and 4 chefs to service our meal. It’s not cheap but not super expensive for Vegas standards. They attempt to explain every dish to you so you have an understanding of what you are eating and where it came from. Most of the items you eat are not what you will find in other Japanese restaurants so the price paid kinda make sense. If you are looking for a bargain, don’t come here. If you are looking for an experience, do come here. To sum it up with 3 words: friendly, attentive, delicious.

This place has Reaaaaaaaaaaaally «impressive» Devine Wooooooooow Me «omakase»
Michelin star system: 1star means very good
(Value of Price) 2stars means excellent
3 stars means exceptional
Kabuto Edomae Sushi earned Michelin 3stars by they call it «DAINTY (过分挑剔的)SUSHI» Edomae style; omakase refers to chef’s tasting menu w/​highly expected deep knowledge about imported fish and not imported, from «nigiri» (sushi rice/​sushi vinegar/​seasonal selective fish), how it’s paired to each courses not to over lap & variety of preparation techniques & varieties of sauce.
~~* Long Story Short *~~
–Your are paying Acura TLX «price» for an E-​class Mercedes packaged quality of Omakase’s value — deep taste, technical skill with high level, texture, quality, variety & ingredients paired in compare to all other Omakase in USA.

~~* Short Story Long *~~
Since Edomae sushi in South Bay has 2month of wait list!
During memorial weekend, flew w/​a dining companion friend to Vegas, right after we landed, I called kabuto to make the reservation for the next openings. When we walked in by 8:30pm on a Friday night, all the waitress were Japanese w/​very «real» topnotch smile & cordial hospitality of welcome lead to our table. Total 22seating w/​10seating sushi bar. All Japanese servers are professional & knowledgable, step by step!
~How~
Sushi Rice:
It was very smooth, perfectly cooked, perfect size, fluffy but gather together, it was not all compressed hard together, size of rice & how it gather together fit perfectly to the fish on top, that’s called «deep chef’s professional nigiri skills. I could taste there’s 3different types of vinegar blends w/​salt & something else to make the taste perfectly to pair with the topped fish without any soyu where all I hear was moaning sound of «mmmmmmmmm» from party of 4 next to our table where they were having nigiri courses & also we were «mmmmm» too. we hardly talk during the courses to focus on it’s taste.
Deep Chefs:
–Don’t need to speak too much but usually say: «hi/​hello, how are u, what’s your likes/​dislikes on types of fish, thank you, goodbye, all they care about is the result of what customers respond/​react to the dishes.

They’ve got 3 class level of «omakase»:
I chose the highest omakase — $ 120 (8 courses) my friend followed the same:
~Why~
Cuz the lower omakase you won’t get the best parts & highest grades of fish.
~What~
Apéritif Sake (A)
started off w/​fetish style ~chilled peachy light sake~ make you feel fetish…
Appetizer (A)
–2kinds 4pc sashimi, Akamai Bluefin & Sand borer (kisu) with ponzu, soy citrus, kalp & daikon strips, light, clean, and gentle texture of the fish.
Sashimi Platter (5kinds 10pc) (A+)
–Inada, botan-​ebi, aoyagi, madai & by Botan-​Ebi stands out the most, tight meat, freshly spring water taste & sweetness.
Grilled Platter (5varieties) (A +)
–all upgrades 5kinds of sauce drizzled, the most impressive — jack mackerel kama sea salted & w. fish with miso, the most «unforgettable» is de seared Aburi toro w/​ponzu daikon aroshi
Nigiri (10pc chef’s choice) (A +)
–expensive ones: ikura, Hokkaido Uni, triangle Bluefin, marbled fatty tuna, anago
2pc Nigiri (your choice) (A +)
–I ordered the Japan Uni cuz it was so wooooooooooooow deep strong sweet taste, & OHHHHH God the seared aburi toro taste like the most expensive japan wagyu with seared juicy, tender, & ponzu daikon aroshi on top.
Handroll (2kinds of toro) (A +)
soft, tasty, buttery umami, amazing!
Fish Bone in Miso soup (A)
Layered Crêpe w/​o-​cha (A +)
–Topnotch hand crafted crepes material used to the cream to strawberry sauce. Its light, soft, hard to describe lightly sweet.
Verdict:
–Will definitely come back for more impressive Orgasm «umami»…

This place is freakin’ awesome! One, because it serves nice quality sushi without breaking the bank. Two, it’s off the stripe! Yay, part of the real Las Vegas city experience.
My friends and I opt for Kabuto omakase, and the courses were all delicious! We sat at the table, but the way they brought out each course to us was still paced, so nothing were ever sitting too long or we get confused because too many nigiri were brought out. The selection of fishes were good, but not like super duper unique, but all in all, they still taste really good.
Ohhh not to mention they start us out with a shot of sake; and oh my, the desserts were really good, so save room!

When it comes to visiting Vegas, I always have 2 goals. Win money and find good food. At least I achieved one this time. Came to celebrate a Birthday and everything was PERFECT. We had the $ 120 & $ 80 Omakase. I think we had more then 40 different dishes all together. Don’t worry they are all small bites and most are Nigiri. You can order the Nigiri individually on the menu, price ranging from $ 5 — $ 12 a piece. I would recommend the Omakasa, the Chef will serve the best fish of the day from the menu and you’ll be able to try more then ½ of that menu with the $ 120 Omakase. It’s a small restaurant, with only 10 seats at the bar and 2 — 3 tables. Be sure to make reservation, I called about 1 month ahead. We get to sit at the bar and watch the Chefs prepare all our food. Service was 5 Stars. Very attentive, our cups were never empty, I think they designate one server to every 2 – 4 guests, so you get what you ask for right away. I had a beer during the meal and my face gets really red very easily, at the end of the meal, our server offered to call us a cab… that was funny but very thoughtful… kinda embarrassing for me in a way, but I don’t mind. We’ll definitely come back next time.

Best sushi experience. Treated the better half for his birthday dinner and was duly impressed. We dined from the «Nigiri» Omakase course which will only cost you $ 48.
Started off with a peach, very light, delicious in-​house made, sake. Nigiri course included, 10 pieces of delicately prepared sushi in front of you. We also added on some pieces we wanted to try. Some of our favorites included, the mouth watering, melts in your mouth, «O-​toro» or premium fatty tuna. The buttery soft, perfect texture, «Anago» or sea eel. The delicious, Japanese sardine, among many other amazing types of fish! The hand roll was prepared beautifully. I chose the best cake I’ve ever tasted in my life, the strawberry layered cake. He chose the mango ice cream which was delicious as well.
The entire experience is worth every penny. Intimate, enjoyable, fancy and fun! The chefs are friendly and are willing to educate you on the type of fish and or parts of the fish you are consuming.
Overall we had an amazing time and hospitality is best at Kabuto! It was definitely a happy birthday for him!

We did the $ 80 omakase and had to order more a la carte pieces of sushi afterwards because we were still hungry. The quality of the sushi is top notch. There were some pieces we enjoyed and some not so much. They didn’t include otoro in the omakase, so we ordered it a la carte, and boy it was good! Just melts in your mouth. They’re also a lot more generous with the portion size when you order a la carte compared to the omakase.
Our waitress and sushi chef were very attentive to our needs and explained everything thoroughly. We split a bottle of the Ginga Shizuku (Junmai Daiginjo). Probably one of the best sake’s that I tasted in my life. It had a nice hint of melon to it.
The one gripe I have about the restaurant… The seats at the sushi bar are too low. Anytime I got up to go to the bathroom or when we left, my quads were shot. My friend and I are power lifters when it comes to anything from the waist down, and we were in pain for at least a half hour.
Our bill came out to $ 500 or so after tax/​tip ordering the bottle of sake, doing the $ 80 omakase, and ordering a bunch of a la carte sushi pieces for a group of 3. I probably wouldn’t make a return trip here, but for a first time dining off strip I would recommend Kabuto.

A fancy looking place with a fancy vibe. It’s one of the places that I normally reserve for a special occasion, and so it was. The omakase choice selected was the middle option:
$ 80 — apéritif sake /​amuse /​sashimi (4 kinds) /​grill (3 varaieties) /​nigiri (8pc)
The $ 120 seemed to be too much food from the way it sounded, plus, I wanted to have the option of ordering a la carte items that may not make it on the omakase menu of the day.
Everything was generally good, and my favorite must have been the negitoro handroll that came with the omakase since it used bluefin tuna belly. Other a la carte items ordered was some fancy fishes I had never heard of before (not too notable), anago, and the uni.
All in all, the meal went by really fast (because we stuffed our face at super speed) and I was a bit sad that the meal was over so quickly. I wasn’t too stuffed, so the $ 120 wouldn’t have been a bad idea.
Surprisingly, the notable dish was one of the grill items. There’s three that come together on a plate, and, it was a tuna that was seared. I didn’t think I’d appreciate seared tuna (as I prefer it raw), but it was amazing.
The desert is underwhelming – they outsource it from Suzuya. I’m not a fan of their crêpe cake at all, so I chose the green tea roll cake with azuki cream inside. It was good.
So it comes down to the question. Is this the best sushi I’ve ever had? No.
Would I come back? I think for the ambiance and experience along with high quality ingredients, it is worth trying once. I’ve got a couple other places that I’d personally rather go to, so this will be a one hit wonder for me.
Tip: Make a reservation, and you need not tell them what your choice is until you arrive at the restaurant. Enjoy~!!

Best sushi omakase sushi experience in US so far!
Definitely get the kabuto omakase, it is one hell of an experience! Sushi is wonderful, and portioning is perfect. I often feel overly full when i go for omakase, but the kabuto omakase portioning was perfect.
I love the bar seats where we can watch the chef prepare our food, and you can see the amount of detailed attention they pay to preparing the food. The fish is really fresh, and the sushi rice temperature is just right.
Waitstaff is friendly, and I managed to even get a next day reservation, which is super awesome. Definitely highly recommended and will come back again the next time I’m in vegas!

This review is long overdue. Had a great experience here back in Dec of 2014. Had the Kabuto omakase course.
–Kabuto Omakase worth it
–Reservations are a must
–Very fresh sushi
–Great attention to detail by the chefs
–Very friendly waitstaff
–Long but great dining experience
More photos and information on our Omakse course here:

Seriously one of the best sushi experiences I’ve had in the states. Getcha Jiro on here! The food here is top notch, authentic, and the entire experience is like that of a high-​end sushi restaurant in Japan.
The waitstaff was extremely knowledgeable about every aspect of the food. Ask them about their sake recommendations. They are so sweet, are not too intrusive, and even called a cab for us at the end of our meal.
The food itself is amazing and really beyond the scope of my food vocabulary to describe. If you need authentic sushi (flown in from Japan), with melt-​in-​your-​mouth fish and a curated selection and order of dishes, and none of that Americanized, mayo-​ridden, /​r/​sushiabomination material, get yourself on to Kabuto.
The website makes it seem like it’s omakase only, but you can get sushi a la carte! I’m guessing that since the menu changes so often, it’s difficult to update online. They gave us a paper menu of their current nigiri selection to choose from. If you like tuna, this is the place for you – just beware of the black box warning of tuna at the top that may be hard on your wallet, but so good while it’s in your mouth.
I had been wanting to go to Kabuto for years, and this did not disappoint.

It’s one of those places that I don’t want anyone else to know about because I want it all for myself.
What can I say, it’s one of the best sushi places that I have been to – authentic, fresh, elegant, and simple. Definitely a place for the sushi purists and fins down, my new favorite sushi place in Las Vegas.
Kabuto is humble in its appearance — located in a small strip mall in Chinatown you could easily miss this unpretentious gem. Had it not been for the ray of light emitting from their minimalist rectangular window, I wouldn’t even have noticed it was there. Inside, it’s the same. This humble elegance is a theme in their décor, service, and food. A sushi counter that seats 10 guests at a time and a few tables of 2 or 4 — definitely a cozy space for an intimate dinner. With that said, reservations are necessary.
The restaurant serves 3 types of omakase courses and also have a la carte items.
[The NIGIRI course] ($ 48/​person) includes: apéritif sake + amuse + nigiri (10pc) + hand roll + dessert
[The YOROI course] ($ 80/​person) includes: apéritif sake + amuse + sashimi (4 kinds) + grill (3 varieties) + nigiri (8pc) + hand roll + miso soup + dessert
[The KABUTO] ($ 120/​person) includes: apéritif sake + appetizer + sashimi platter (5 kinds) + grill platter (5 varieties) + nigiri (12pc) + hand roll + miso soup + dessert
My husband and I both went with the Yoroi course and it was divine. From start to finish, perfection in all the elements of what defines a great sushi experience. The restaurant gives you the option to participate in the traditional etiquette of eating sushi with your hands instead of chopsticks and if you do choose to use their chopsticks, it is placed parallel to the diner.
I am almost in disbelief that a place like this exists and they have managed to keep it free of pretense and glitz. Kabuto is easily the dining highlight for any of my future trips to Vegas.

A traditional, elegant, fine tuned dining experience with perfect service.
I would come here once a week if I could. Absolutely loved it.

This is not the place to be with a group of 7, nor do I think any omakase style restaurant is… but that’s what we did. Oops.
There are 3 options for omakase:
$ 48 — apéritif sake /​amuse /​nigiri (10pc) /​hand roll /​dessert
$ 80 — apéritif sake /​amuse /​sashimi (4 kinds) /​grill (3 varaieties) /​nigiri (8pc)
/​hand roll /​miso soup /​dessert
$ 120 — apéritif sake /​appetizer /​sashimi platter (5 kinds) /​grill platter (5 varaieties)/ nigiri (12pc) /​hand roll /​miso soup /​dessert
We all opted for the $ 80 option and it was the perfect amount of food. The homemade sake is sweet and delicious — tasted more like lemonade and I couldn’t really taste that alcohol AT ALL.
Everything tasted good, but nothing was mind-​blowing. which is how I want to feel when I’m trusting the chef with every single course. Fish was fresh and presentation was visually appealing, but no wow-​factors here. Handroll was probably the best part and the a la carte seared toro that I ordered (which I highly recommend doing). Considering how «fair» the price is compared to a lot of omakase places I’ve tried, I’d definitely come back, but I won’t come with high expectations.
Good sushi, affordable prices and exceptional service. What’s not to like?

I THINK THIS IS THE ONLY AUTHENTIC SUSHI RESTAURANT IN VEGAS!
I also liked nobu though.
in love with authentic sushi! I Unilocaled this place and it took me forever to find it. there’s a lot of other sushi places that have like 1000+ reviews but they’re all Americanized.
HAVE TO MAKE RESERVATIONS. this place is super small. 8 people can sit at the bar area. and there were like 2 tables that fit up to 4 and 6 people.
I did not want omakase because I only wanted fish and not other things omakase comes with.
another thing I really liked about this place was that they print out the menu daily so I could choose what I wanted.
tried as much sushi as I could before I was too full to eat lol. they were all so good!!! anything that has «belly» in the name was extra good.
there were 2 types of uni, Japanese and Catalina Island. you would think Japanese would be better but Catalina Island uni was so good! probably my favorite of the night.
there was so much different types of toro and tuna. my favorite was the one with belly in the name. lol.
overall I love this place! and was soooo happy I found it.

I’ll briefly reiterate what others have stated before me. This is unlike any other sushi spot in town (with the exception of the newly opened Yui). If you’re going with someone not familiar with the concept, it’s best to explain it to them and manage expectations. You don’t want to bring someone expecting crazy Americanized rolls slathered in mayo and other sauces. Sit at the bar. That should be the only way to experience a place like this.
There are 3 levels of omakase menus available. I got the $ 80 yoroi while my wife got the $ 48 nigiri option along with an a la carte purchase of a sashimi platter. Everything was excellent. The sashimi was flawless, particularly the bluefin tuna and the oyster with spicy radish and ponzu. The same can be said about the grilled plate. I’m typically not a big fan of mackerel, but their grilled version topped with a somewhat sweet sauce instantly turned me into a fan.
The only real flaw is that the nigiri course moved at a lightning fast pace. I barely had time to enjoy each piece before the next arrived.
The atmosphere isn’t for everyone. It’s not a fun environment where you can kick back and relax. It’s more like a shrine to the food. Or more like an art gallery where you have to pay homage to the works of art in near silence. But the food proves worthy of the setting as it’s beauty and precision is something to behold.

I don’t really know what to say other than this was the best sushi experience I’ve had in my life.
From the outside, it’s definitely unassuming: Kabuto is located in a strip mall with really crowded parking. But walk inside and you’ll find yourself in a beautifully minimalistic restaurant that serves some of the best sushi ever.
From the get-​go, the service here was on point. My server was helpful but also attentive enough not to be overly intrusive.
So, in terms of food… Kabuto focuses on edomae sushi. This is as traditional a style of sushi as you can get and is considered to be the highest form of sushi around. There is a devoted attention to the freshness and flavors of fish. You’re not going to find a California roll here.
My friends and I ordered the Kabuto Omakase course. This 7-​course meal comes with apéritif sake, appetizer, sashimi platter (5 kinds), grill platter (5 varaieties), nigiri (12pc), hand roll, miso soup, and a dessert.
Everything I had was amazing and incredibly fresh. We had everything from uni flown in from Japan to many different types of fatty tuna to even cod milt miso soup (milt being the male reproductive organ).
It’s certainly not a cheap place but for a sushi lover, the food and experience is definitely worth the money. Yeah, sure you can go to some flashy place on the Strip (and I’m sure the food would be good too) but honestly, I’d prefer Kabuto to all that. It’s that good.

My experience was simply phenomenal. From the booking to the goodbye I was catered to in a way only the Japanese service standards know how to.
The ambiance of the place was just enough. Not too much, not too little. A perfect balance of class and simplicity. Very zen.
The service was excellent as well. Attentive, discrete and proactive.
Now let’s go to the good stuff: the fish. What can I say, it was just great. The cuts, the flavor, the balance was excellent. The rice consistency and the fish quality was spot on.
Of course this is not a cheap place and the portions are small but that’s pretty much the standard on an expensive restaurant.
The party I went with which consisted on a Japanese citizen and another sushi lover like me, were completely impressed.
Well done vegas.

Absolutely incredible. When I heard that there is a high quality omakase sushi place in Nevada, I was extremely skeptical. But needless to say, I fely it was worth every penny. The staff explains to you where everything comes from, and how to eat certain things, and even in a certain order for maximum enjoyment. If you order the Kabuto course, you get to choose two pieces of fish at the end as well.
Make sure you make reservations well in advance. This is a high demand place with not a lot of seating.

In a city full of famous chefs, world-​class restaurants, and every type of cuisine imaginable, Kabuto is among the top: you don’t just have dinner here, you have an experience. Service is impeccable, quality is unsurpassed, and the dinner-​and-​a-​show you get to observe by sitting at the bar is more than worth the price of the meal.
I saved this spot for a special occasion and was not disappointed. We opted for the Yoroi meal and added in a few a la carte nigiri options. Each item was skillfully cut in front of us, artfully plated, and presented with a detailed description before being eaten. If you’ve been to Sweets Raku, it’s the sushi version of the experience– upped a couple of notches.
The meal started with an incredible 8-​month aged blackberry-​infused sake, made in house. Sashimi came out first, then grill items, followed by nigiri. You have the option to add on any additional items you want before proceeding to dessert. The porgy, pike, and beef tataki were some of my favorites. The live scallop, fresh uni, and the ocean trout were also standouts.

I’ll give it 3.75 (rounded up). I’ve been meaning to share my experience at Kabuto during my visit in the Spring but have not had a chance to do so. Here is a sneak peak before I write about it in a month or two.
Omakase starts at $ 48 for high quality fish, which is a rarity in Las Vegas.
NIGIRI 握
apéritif sake /​amuse /​nigiri (10pc) /​hand roll /​dessert
The service and technique could use some refinement — I had a piece of cloth in my rice with ikura and a bone in one of my fish which is not acceptable. My main gripe would be how they dealt with it. They chose not to use their words to announce their sincerity. Will revisit before I decide how to write about them in my update. In the meantime, please enjoy these beautiful pictures.
This place is still worth a visit for quality and value.
What you need to know:
— Reservations are necessary
— Dinner only
— You must respond to text in order to reconfirm your reservation
— The sushi bar is the best seat in the house
— Lighting is great for photo taking