Wonderful food, atmosphere, and service! Every plate we were served had a unique flavour, from the distinctly fresh sashimi to the handmade sauces paired with it. We also got to eat lots of sashimi and fish that's normally hard to come by elsewhere due to their required freshness to serve. Particularly tasty was the "world's best uni" that we had, which lives up to the bold claim. The atmosphere was quiet, allowing for easy conversation with Steve, the chef. He's the only one running the show, and the care he puts into every plate is apparent in how good they taste. Pricey, but the experience of good food and the great personality of the chef are worth it. read more

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This was an interesting place. We came here because a friend said it was a must try place. I've never had omakase so walking in was kind of awkward. The restaurant was empty except for another couple. We waited for a menu but Steve ignored us for a bit. Thought it was kind of rude but we waited none-the-less. He then started to serve us food without really telling us what's going on. I asked for some water and he asks me, do you want cheap water which is free or do you want deepsea water and I was like, why not let's go for the good stuff. He brings out a bottle of water which ends up being $18 or $16? Yea, No water should be that much unless it's from the fountain of youth. The food was good but all of it was sashimi. I wished there were a couple of dishes that varied from just raw fish. The food was great until I found 2 bones in my salmon. Quite the disappointment. If you can't even de-bone a fish, you can't be considered a sushi chef!!!!!! The sauces on the fish was great! I'm assuming all of them were invented by him or something. Dessert was mochi which was also another disappointment because I saw a picture of the mountain peaches or what ever fruit it was and it looked great. I really like trying new things and omakase is definitely something everyone should try but I'm sure there are other places you can try it. Our Bill: $360 for two people including tip. read more

Sawa Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

My husband and I visited Sawa and were pleasantly surprised by the gregarious chef and quality food offered. After visiting Japan (my husband lived there for a number of years), we were quite prepared for omakase. Leaving the selections to the chef generally means you'll get the best quality cuts and seafood of the season, the way he wants to prepare it. We thought it was very worth the time and money spent here. We appreciated Steve allowing us to be seated without a reservation, the food, service, etc. We'll be back again with friends, who appreciate Japanese omakase (and all it means)! read more

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Amazing. A singular experience. I've been there twice now. On my last visit, my companion and I had monkfish liver that was out of this world. Sea urchin unlike I'd ever had before. Tuna that melts in your mouth. And some of the best unfiltered sake I've had (which is why the other stuff we were treated to escapes me now). Steve treats you like a guest his house, you are his sole focus, but not in a direct or uncomfortable way. He'll chat you up if you want, or just leave you alone. He will also hate that I'm writing a review, he dislikes Yelp and wishes no one really knew about his place, except 'friends of friends.' Sorry, Steve -- you have a great place and I must give you props. :) read more

Sawa Sushi - Edible art (!?) from Sept 29, 2010 - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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Steve is the most interesting chef I've met. Keeping it short and simple - great guy behind the counter, HIGH quality ingredients, amazing omakase!! One of my best dining experiences ever! This place is not for the college kids who want to try something out on Yelp. Message me and I can tell you how the clientele rolls. read more

The restaurant was empty on a Friday night and we were the only customers. Steve was a nice guy but he could rub some people off the wrong way. He kept staring at us to make sure we finish the fish which was a little terrifying haha. Probably the freshest Japanese food I've had in the states. However I did feel it was too expensive for the quality. The dinner was $120 each and included 6 meals + desert. read more

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A word of warning: if you find yourself staying at one of the hotels near this establishment, do not attempt to casually walk in for a delightful sushi dinner. When my husband and I did this, we were met by a man so angered by our ignorance, that he simply pointed to his black T-shirt and then the door, too disgusted to even speak to us. The T-shirt said (and I swear I am not clever enough to make this up): No Reservation? There's the door! When I inquired if we might be able to make a reservation for the evening, he grew even more visibly indignant as he literally shooed us out the door saying, "No menu, minimum $150 per person," which he clearly indicated was way above our pay grade. My first thought was: What else happens in this tiny, nondescript sushi bar in a random Sunnyvale shopping plaza, nestled between Subway and (from memory...) a dry cleaners? Sushi with a side of bondage perhaps? Was it an underground meeting place for some secret society? Intrigued, I turned to Google, and was promptly informed that Sawa serves chef's choice only - the chef determines what you will eat and how much you will pay. So I was right, after all...sushi for those who like to be dominated. Since we didn't have the pleasure of enjoying Sawa's food, I can't comment on it - but judging from the other reviews here I gather it is quite good. I just wouldn't want anyone else to come face-to-face with that menacing black T-shirt if they didn't mean to. No Reservation? There's the door! read more

Steve served up some great dishes when we visited his place last year. He sorts out what he'll feed you as he goes. He was really nice and everything was good. The only negative for me was the serving portions. They were too big! I'd rather have 10 smaller courses than 5 big ones. I felt that each course was practically a small main. I would love to have tried more. Thanks Steve! :) read more

Went back after a few years and was disappointed by the deterioration in quality of ingredients, presentation, and escalating cost. Two people and two beers, without gratuity, exceeds $400. Asked for some Hokkaido uni, which he had available, but it smelled and tasted putrid - sent back to chef who insisted it was "very good". Nothing exceptional in terms of ingredients (local scallop, salmon, yellowtail, tuna - not otoro, hamachi collar), and he still relies on a dousing of sauces which in my mind detract from their innate flavors. Coupled with the morose and unpredictable demeanor of the chef, ultimately a miserable experience not to be repeated. read more

Sawa Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

I've been in search of the best Japanese restaurant in Bay Area. I've went as far north as Sausalito and as far south as San Jose, and I can now say I have found it. We ordered our meal omakase style (Chef's choice) and everything that came out of the Chef's hands are just amazing. Besides the good food, Chef Steve is very funny and extremely insightful. Sky's the limit for a good quality Japanese meal, so if you have a budget, you should definitely communicate that to the chef before you order. read more

I'm here right now at Sawa having Japanese traditional food today, it's a chefs menu place, eat all the best fish from Japan read more

Sawa Sushi - My favorite food and best friends - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

A foodie friend told me about Sawa for years. Finally, he took me here this evening. Chef Steve Sawa is a great guy. Quality of the ingredients surprise and special item Chef Steve spends his life perfecting his sauces, they are the soul of his preparations, and are creitical to every dish. Chef Steve is NOT a babysitter. Make your special request during reservation. He is a very reasonable person. He would tell you if he will do it or not. After you are at the restaurant, Chef Steve Sawa will give you the best at the price you want. read more

First and last time I ever go to this restaurant. Had no clue it was $150 pp until I got bill. Sushi was ok, but Ozumo in SF is better. I should have known something was up when no one was there when we arrived. Be warned and don't waste your money. read more

This is a really cute restaurant with delicious food. They even threw in extra fish with my order! The sushi is fresh and expertly prepared, and the service is excellent--very friendly wait staff! read more

Outstanding. Your foodie friend will tell you about this amazing place, and you'll agree to meet there. You'll arrive at a humdrum strip mall in Sunnyvale, and when you see the dark sign at an undecorated door (which may be locked), you'll text your friend that you'll be late because you've clearly gone to the wrong place. You haven't! I won't say much more except that this place is Omakase only, reservation only, and the food and chef are both superb. Call ahead, go with people you enjoy, and appreciate this truly special food. read more

I actually created an account on Yelp just to commend Sawa-san for his amazing omakase. We had a 9 course meal and it literally blew our minds! This is my first omakase and the most expensive meal I had in my life. Before going to the restaurant, I was worried that I would leave Sawa Sushi, regretting my choice to dine there because of the negative Yelp reviews. Thankfully, we left Sawa Sushi as satisfied converts and felt the price tag was totally worth it. I loved his use of yuzu and citrus flavors to enhance the natural sweetness of the sashimi. His ingredients are really fresh and Sawa-san is very generous with his serving. His uni was as fresh as the uni sashimi I had at Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. The hotate (scallop) was so succulent and juicy that I would order that as my last meal on earth. We were so full by the 6th course but the kampachi was so yummy that we just could not stop eating. The last dish, the grilled hamachi kama was so succulent and fatty. It was literally the best fish I had ever had in my life. The cost of the 9 courses would definitely have been a lot more if I were to just order it ala carte in a high-end Japanese restaurant. Sawa-san himself was very friendly and nice. I was the slowest eater of the dinner group and he was very observant and only brought us the next dish when I was finished. For dessert, seeing that we were really in love with the ice cream mochi (we had the red bean, green tea & sesame), he offered us more mochi at no extra cost! I am definitely gonna bring my parents there for a nice dinner someday :) Thank you Sawa-san! Just a side note, to correct all the wrong claims made by other users, Sawa-san is indeed Japanese and hails from Kyoto. It is very common for high-end restaurants in Japan to be reservations only and for the host to turn away walk-in customers. Just go to the old town in Kyoto and you will be able to see many similar restaurants operating on the same business model as Sawa Sushi. I was a little apprehensive and scared of Sawa-san before our visit but as always, a little courtesy and smile goes a long way. Sawa-san is very hospitable and I really had nothing to be worried about. Definitely a must-try! read more

Its a place to go for people who enjoy thickly sliced pieces of sashimi and big portion heavy fish dishes. It got a little hard to finish up my plate cause a lot of the dishes were very greasy and thick. All the seafood was very fresh and good( expensive pieces too! Otoro, uni etc..) but I just needed some rice at the end to even out the greasiness. BUT the chef made the atmosphere very awkward when he called to check up on no-show guest. I understand that it can be very frustrating for the restaurant to have a no show but it is not at all appropriate to swear on phone when there's people present, paying over $250 pp to enjoy their dinner. It was just bad manners. And some of the jokes he made to us felt very inappropriate. When you are paying over $500 for dinner for two, you want this to be a nice experience, with good food, service and atmosphere of the restaurant. I dont think i got any.. Wouldnt ever go again for that price. read more

Really interesting to read the Yelp reviews - seems people either love or hate Sawa. My wife and I loved it, loved Steve, loved the food, loved the experience. We were prepared to be adventurous and respectful, and were treated to an omakase experience like no other. It was enhanced by the party of three sitting next to us at the bar, who were fun, generous, and equally appreciative of the special meal we shared. I would go into details about what we ate, but Steve was not always forthcoming in divulging his secrets (what self-respecting chef would?). The salmon was ivory salmon from the Scottish isles. We asked if the uni was from Japan or Santa Barbara - oh, no, Santa Barbara is too far north - further south is best. Hokkaido scallops, otoro, kanpachi, and lightly flame-seared kama-toro, each so pure and fresh they were barely recognizable compared with what we get at other restaurants and stores. The purity of the sashimi was enhanced by the toppings and sauces, again unlike anything we've ever had. Tobiko was marinated, not in fluorescent green wasabi or squid ink, but in what tasted like a subtle yuzu cocktail. I'm not sure what went into the hotate kaibashira broth - it was sweet, savory, tart, and salty - but at the risk of pouring it down our chins and shirts, we drank every last drop from the rim soup bowl. Wasabi and soy sauce were not necessary or welcome for most courses, but when they were supplied, it was freshly grated wasabi and a thickened, aged soy. Homemade mango, strawberry, and black sesame mochi capped off the extraordinary evening. If you prefer rolls with surimi crab, mayonnaise, and end pieces from 6 different fishes, deep fried, with sinus-burning neon dyed horseradish, sold at grocery stores or served from a conveyor belt of boats, don't waste your time and money here. If you prefer your matsutake roasted rather than sautéed, osetra rather than beluga, inada rather than buri, you will be blown away here. You can get good mashed potatoes at KFC, but it isn't the same experience as Joel Robuchon's puree de pomme. At Robuchon and at Sawa, there is a degree of decorum and expense that may not appeal to everyone, but the reward is something exceptional. read more

Sawa Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Unparalleled. Steve Sawa is at the highest level, extremely well deserving of Michelin Stars!! Highest recommendation!

Going to Sawa Sushi is like being Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. Some pieces might be bigger than others, and some might have slips of papers inside that say, "that wasn't chocolate...." Steve of Sawa used to work alongside Toshi-san (ex-Kaygetsu owner) back when in the 80s at Sushi Ya in Palo Alto. I'm not sure what other formal training Steve has but I believe that if he put his heart and soul into it, he could come up with authentic Japanese sushi and cooked dishes and even be the best. However in running his own place, his inflated ego, choice of cu$tomer ba$e and how he chooses to serve to them differently on his whim, has gotten the better of him. To date I've only made two visits during the same week, first time dinner, then two days later for lunch were complete polar opposite experiences. My first time there I got screened by Steve. Who sent you? I had to name drop and picked a regular whose name I fished out of an old newsgroup. Then he drilled me further asking how I knew this person, to which I gave him some BS to his liking. If you don't tell him "omakase", you'll fail the test and he'll deny you entry. The first dinner was marvelous, all nigiri, although quite large. Things were simpler and nothing was even sauced. That was 2004, though from 2007 - now he may be saucing everything. These days he is trying to position himself in the Michelin realm via sashimi-fest with sauces galore at 3 price level$. While I did get massive uni glops in 2004, it was top grade Santa Barbara (in September, and in season). Also aori ika, top notch Japanese squid. I don't remember anything else but I had a chance to try his tamago-yaki which was the best I've ever had. Thought he had potential. 2nd meal during lunch was a joke. One cooked whole vinegared aji as an appetizer (aji no nanbanzuke), followed by at least 5 pairs of different cuts of greyish white colored toro, at frozen temperatures, insanely huge cuts that was not fun to eat. Certainly not kama toro or sunazuri of Oma tuna for that matter except for his VP/CEO fans. I can't remember what else but no variety... no tamago, ikura or uni. And the bill came out exactly the same as two nights before. Was he saving the top stuff for his wealthy regulars? I even called ahead before coming to lunch! Steve actually wanted me to come back after the 2nd visit (I am no ordinary eater), I thanked him, but no thanks. A year or two later, after talking to various sushi chefs who know him and his MO, here are some comments: - Steve can source excellent cuts of fish. But what he serves to you depends on many things (your background for one and potential lockdown as future cu$tomer) - Steve's a moody guy. He can be warming and nice, and he could be a complete dong to the next person. Or you could be next for any reason. - If you are a walkin or a newcomer, your bill will vary. If he thinks you are a sucka, he may do things to make sure you won't come back, like giant pieces of salmon kind of fish, and a high bill. If he kinda sorta likes you, your bill will be higher than that of a regular but less than that of a sucka. Then again you might be fooled into thinking his fish comes from his own private pond, and he grows his own veggies like David Kinch. Chez Pim (blogger) wasn't too thrilled either then. - if you are a nubile A$N hottie female, you will fall for his schtick and his dirty joke$. - deep $ea Arctic ice cap bottled water?! - one time I sat near a VP of some high tech company. Steve told me and pointed to him, "this guy, great customer!". Yeah, so what does that make me? There have been stories from other sushi restaurant owners who have told me former Japanese expat regulars got hosed before too. $500 for a whole Japanese tai dinner served multiple ways? So what if his place is on top 100 of Opiniated or in WSJ as a Sushi Bully? The best part is that some of Sawa's biggest fans think they are getting slices of heaven, that think they're eating at a friend's home, yet they don't know that their egos, bank account$ have been catered to, stroken so much that they don't notice the chaffing going on. The traditional approach to sushi is refined minimalist, yet it is total crude maximalism here. Whatever floats your boat I guess! Sawa does have a cult following amongst bloggers and "gourmets" who continue to shill for him (his website was likely designed by his die hard high tech spender fan$ in exchange for freebie$), but in reality you can get decent sushi and raw fish elsewhere for cheaper and without this pretentious elitist air of BS and exclusivity. Save $ and eat high end sushi in Japan, Taipei, and Hong Kong for the same price. If in the US, Urasawa, Shunji's, Mori (in LA) for sure better places. Or go to Sushi Ran, Akiko's, Wako, Maruya. Also, maybe this business should be called Sawa Sashimi (butsugiri) with Sauces to match the offerings. read more

Oh Sushi Steve, how do I describe thee? Dude, I haven't a clue. I think Ken K. puts it best in his 2007 review where he said, "Going to Sawa Sushi is like being Forrest Gump's box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get." When I talked to others about their experiences, the stories varied wildly. As you'll see, the reviews, pictures, and sushi cuts vary wildly too. You're an enigma brother Steve! As for my experience... Steve-O talked us into a nice bottle of sake. He boasted a great selection, and ours was smooth and polished. As for the first dish, the old clear plastic bag the scallops came out of was no bueno. Like dude, if those scallops were fresh why put them in an old bag. It reminds me of how my mother would reuse the old Orowheat bread bags in place of zip-loc bags! Suffice it to say the scallops did not impress. They did not taste fresh. It tasted of old bag. All of the other raw dishes were littered with uneven awkward cuts of fish doused in various sauce concoctions. I know it's Scuba Steve's thing, the sauce. But for me, it overpowered the (un)delicately cut fish. In the end I spent a considerable amount of money that would have been better spent at nearby Manresa (similar bill amount, no bagged scallops). Or I could've stayed home in SF and dropped my dolla dolla (hundreds of) dolla bills (y'all) better at Akiko's or Sushi Ran. Hell, I could've eaten twice at Saru in Noe Valley. read more

I have tried to write and re-write this review so many times. I always hesitate to publish mainly because the service is so awkward. There are many people who absolutely love Sawa Steve, but frankly if someone is about to drops fo hundy'+ on dinner for two people I expect a certain level of customer service. That being said, the food really is PHENOMENAL if you're an adventurous lover of sashimi. Let me also emphasize SASHIMI. Don't come in expecting rolls with mayonnaise and tempura flakes. The ordering here is OMAKASE. If you don't know what that is look it up, or consider renting Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Additionally, Steve is an arrogant sonofabitch. I am a pretty experienced sashimi eater and I took my dad (an even more experienced eater, and someone who has been to Jiro's joint in Japan) for Father's Day and many of our pieces were ice cold which is typically not the best way they need to be served and Steve admitted to us that he probably shouldn't be serving those pieces of fish so cold but " oh well, who cares" (Us, duh?). He literally said to some walk-ins (who may have come back and made a reservation later had this not happened), "Get the f*** out!". I don't think you can blame them for their misunderstanding and there are certainly more polite ways to let people know these things. And lastly I think what irked me most was whenever I asked a question about what I was eating he responded with "guess." Obviously I trust the chef but I just like a little information about what's going on so I can sing praises about it later. I honestly am torn about whether I would ever return. I had such a bizarre experience. The food was incredible, but the guy serving it beats his customers up and that is where I falter. read more

If you want to be ripped off with zero customer service, Sawa will provide you with the exact experience. First, it took two people, a few phone calls to even make a simple dinner reservation (they didn't take any phone calls, it always went to the voice mail, they didn't return most of our calls). Finally our friend was able to make reservation and we went there for dinner for the first time. (I am sure now it'd certainly be the last time) When we got there, there was no customer in the place yet. Out walked the chef from the kitchen, without ANY shirt on. Yes, you read that correctly. He was half naked during restaurant opening hour. He realized his first group of customers arrived, then rushed back in the kitchen and walked out with a t-shirt on. No apologies whatsoever for such an awkward encounter. That was certainly not the Omakase experience we had elsewhere. We had the best Omakase styled sushi in New York, everyone was polite, professional and formal. We realized there were only two people working in the restaurant, the chef and a woman. The chef was behind the counter (but customers couldn't see how he prepared the sushi). The woman was helping in the kitchen and didn't serve us at all. Essentially, there was minimal to zero serving. The chef made us sit a the end of the counter. We asked for hot tea, he told us he doesn't serve hot tea, he only has cold tea. He said so with a very condescending tone (we felt a bit weird about his tone and attitude, but we didn't expect the bad customer service just merely began!) On several occasions, we asked him what fish this was or did the sauce have citrus. He replied abrasively, "don't ask, ok?". So, they only serve Omakase styled sushi, however, it is certainly NOT the traditional or well-crafted sushi we were expecting. First, I have to admit the fish was fresh, but he served with his own fusion styled sauce. The sauce was tasty, but he kept repeating the same type of sauce throughout almost all courses of the meal. Second, he has no real sushi chef's cutting skills. The fish pieces were not evenly cut, some were big and some were small. Some were not even cut through! All these blunders would have been tolerable if the bill wasn't this big, on top of it, bad customer service. (two of us had 6 courses, one of us had 8 courses, the total came down as $540 dollars excluding the tip). It was no doubt outrageously overpriced. That wasn't the "highlight" of the night yet. When midway into our meal, in walked a couple and the chef asked them to wait, he told them out loud in front of us that we were almost done. First, we hadn't even finished, second, it was outrageous that he blatantly said so in front of us. The bill couldn't get on the counter in front of us fast enough, a blatant sign of asking us to finish up quickly so that we could make way for the waiting customers. We were stunned... When we paid and walked out, the chef didn't even say Thank You. This place has one of the worst restaurant services I've ever had in my life. The sushi is overrated and poorly executed. We've eaten in numerous michelin-starred restaurants around the world. We know what good food and good service should be. Good food needs to be served with heart and soul, which is certainly non-existent in this place. read more

Diners beware, I made reservations a week in advance and received confirmation for my wife's birthday dinner. We arrive 10mins in advace and the restaurant was not even open. They did not even try to call to let me know my reservation was cancelled. I could care less how good the food is suppose to be. They obviously do not care about there customers. read more

Sawa Sushi - Reservations made and they were CLOSED. No empathy for there customers. Horrible business practice. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

This is the kind of restaurant the Yelp was made for. Polarizing is probably the best word to describe this place. For me it's an easy verdict. Good sushi? Debatable. Service? Entertaining if nothing else. Would I go back? Not as a paying customer. Everyone has their own special Sawa Steve moment. I walked in with a friend and his pregnant wife (who just wanted to observe). She couldn't eat sushi at the time, and I felt we were already being frowned upon from that moment on. The sashimi/sauces were interesting and the fish was fresh. But there wasn't anything that wowed me. The knife work was a bit sloppy and at times we would get huge pieces of fish. You also don't get a view of how the dishes are put together. My buddy is not quite a sashimi connoisseur and struggled with the massive chunks of sashimi. When Steve noticed this, he served BOTH of us nothing but cooked dishes to my disappointment. Asking Steve what is in the sauces is like asking for the president for the nuclear launch codes. The way he dismisses your futile guesses is a nice touch. Don't ask permission to take photos, just secretly take them. Ask for forgiveness if you get caught to avoid repercussions. We ordered non-bottled water and Steve had to walk next door (Subways) to get it. A couple stumbled into the restaurant: "Sushi? You serve sushi here?" Steve: "NO, GET OUT!" At the very end there was mochi ... however at the point we had enough and just paid the bill. I understand the guy. It's his place, his rules. The restaurant is still around so there must be a select set of clientele who can expense amazing amounts of money. At the end he was warming up, perhaps I had garnered some respect. But first impressions rule and it's not worth the hassle. I always equate immaculate service with omakase and this place definitely fails. And whatever you do, don't ask Steve if he's Korean ... read more

I have no idea why there are 5 star reviews here. Very cocky chef that thinks he's the next jiro. Very far from it. He can't cut sashimi properly and he basically charged us $200 each for bunch of small plates of salad and grilled fish. We had a few slices of sashimi. He also kept on saying that this food proves he's a good chef and knows what he's doing. I don't know if he's insecure or cocky. Quality of fish is above average. Skill of chef is below average. The atmosphere is very awkward too. The sushi counter is not very nice and he has no menus. The drink menu he just asks how much we want to spend. Wtf I want to pick what I want to drink. You walk out feeling ripped off. Almost robbed. If you want amazing omakase that actually cares about fine details with a great experience is sushi yoshizumi. First time I've felt angry after eating at the restaurant. Money is better spent just about every other real sushi restaurant. (Akane, Sam's, yoshizumi, sushi Kei, etc) read more

Went with two other friends, one which is versed well in the ways of Japanese cuisine, even more so than me and the second friend who are both Japanese! Besides the bad attitude, rude remarks (both not directed towards the japanese diners), and mediocre fish (some were very good, but some were awful like ikura being only useful for fish bait), I found it very demeaning and rude to treat a personal friend of mine, peer, and general all around great guy to be treated so badly. After the shock and horror on how he was treated, I will never go back again. oh, the worst part? ... getting diarrhea from eating the toro... perfect example from our dinner: japanese: two perfect molded nigiri me (american-japanese): one perfect, one from a bad part of fish gourmet: two mutant sized nigiri from a very bad part of the fish. read more

If only Yelp would allow NEGATIVE stars. To the high society epicureans who rave about this joint.... The *spicy* in the spicy tuna is only good for masking the rotten smell of stale fish, esp @ sushi joints with LOW traffic (tssk tssk). I have never tasted spicy tuna in any traditional sushi joints in Japan. The guy doesnt want to do rolls yet he serves spicy tuna, LOL. If butter is grittier than the neta they serve I bet you'd think that Hoya Chinmi is smooth as silk and probably shares similar standards of freshness with his stuff. (NOW IF YOU REALLY THINK YOU KNOW JAPANESE FOOD LOOK UP WHAT HOYA CHINMI IS AND I DARE YOU TRY THAT!!) read more

Put a sign outside the door in large letters that states "no walk ins." My husband and I were craving sushi as we are in town for business. We came across Sawa when the wait across the street was too long. Upon entering, the first thing the chef said to us very rudely as we went to sit at the sushi bar was "Ok, guys, I don't mind." And we said "Um, ok, can we sit down?" and then he explained - again rudely - it was minimum $120 per person. And we left. We can afford this, but that is not the issue. I can't imagine spending that when the service is so rude. My husband and I have spent a lot of time eating our way through Japan and have never been treated like this (even as gaijin). To avoid further confusion for your guests, I suggest a sigh is placed outside to explain that this is a high end establishment in a strip mall and reservations are required - no walk ins. read more

After many years open, Steve Sawa is now getting the sort of mainstream publicity he never wanted. National write-ups, Michelin Guide, and locally, Holbrook at the Metro, August 8: http://www.sanjose.com/restaurants/articles/2012/08/08/restaurants_sawa_in_sunnyvale Sawa's approach is unorthodox, often misjudged by casual diners, but makes superb sense if you understand it. Before I go on, some qualification/disclaimer. I find online comments useful for many restaurants but not all. After reading restaurant reviews avidly for decades, it doesn't even occur to me to read or write comments on Yelp for establishments exceptionally unique, high-end, or historic (French Laundry, Chez Panisse, Tour d'Argent) -- other sources just fit those places better. History shows that the further restaurants depart from mainstream expectations, the more the public misunderstands them. But rather than perceive the situation that way, they fault the restaurant (Napoletana Pizzeria Syndrome -- see my review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/napoletana-pizzeria-mountain-view#hrid:T4Gsk48T8e1bfFRGMfERDQ ). Even before Yelp started, Steve Sawa disdained online comments (which often Just Didn't Get It, then or now) and journalism. The Aug.-8 Metro used a stock sushi pic because Steve Sawa "has all the business he wants and doesn't want the exposure that comes from a photo." To his credit, Metro's Stett Holbrook "Got" Sawa, though he made the mistakes of walking in, and even on the second try, going alone. Just like some Yelp reviewers who clearly didn't know what they were getting into. More on how to approach Sawa effectively, in a moment. When (well before the recent publicity) I dined there with a Sawa regular (a traveling connoisseur of high-end sushi, able to compare Sawa in detail to its main competitors in LA and NYC), I was forewarned about Steve Sawa's omakase-only, no-menu, no-prices approach, his preference for customers who understand what he's about. "No rolls!" "no menu!" "no prices!" he'll warn newcomers, especially new walk-ins, whom he doesn't exactly encourage. My experienced companion explained that in aiming for a high class of sushi, Sawa would rather serve a few understanding customers than deal with the general public's expectations. Fortunately [my friend said at the time], Sawa will never be in guide books, so once you're in, you're in -- no absurd reservation lotteries. (A reference to restaurants that go fad, like French Laundry, El Bulli, even Chez Panisse -- the original restaurant downstairs -- in its fad period 30 years ago when reservations were impossible.) Fad restaurants attract many people just because they're fashionable -- The Thing To Do. But Sawa's eccentric, obsessive sushi approach isn't for everyone, and some of those strangers that Steve discourages may not realize he's doing them a favor. (Of course, now Sawa finally IS in guidebooks.) When I dined with the regular customer, Steve Sawa was gracious, cordial, communicative. Unlike Holbrook's experience walking in "cold," Sawa answered questions and gladly provided ingredient details. I feel it's crucial to experience Sawa that way -- go there, wholeheartedly and with someone experienced, or skip it. And it was an expensive omakase feast: a few hundred bucks each. Had we ordered Sawa's exotic Sakes, the bill would have been far higher. We had a good dozen courses; standouts to me were belly and neck toro the like of which I haven't had before or since. One or two courses were cooked; some had sauces; we finished with very fresh ripe pineapple. The reasons I don't give five stars are, mainly, huge portions, which struck an odd note. Some contained fully a pound of raw fish -- for two people -- in one course! Owing to the special occasion, of course we ate it all, or almost. Also, I admit that in dining, I value an overall experience. This version of omakase seemed obsessive, even gluttonous. I've had very high-end meals in many cities and countries; the best always showed sensitive balance. Like vegetables complementing animal proteins, and smaller portions as the course count rose. And keep in mind, I'm not one of those international sushi connoisseurs. Finally, just as online commentators rationalize (by blaming the restaurant) what they don't understand, people who dislike a restaurant sometimes project petty whims about diners who DO like the place, to explain away (to themselves) its popularity. I don't know that Sawa lacks pretentious, extravagant, or faddish fans; but I DO know for certain that the regulars include connoisseurs who visit from Japan, and others, like the one I joined, with a level of high-end sushi dining experience rare on Yelp, if it's present at all. Again, no online restaurant forum suits every type of restaurant. read more

I got to eat at Sawa for a company sponsered event, so I was able to eat to my heart's desire. Unfortunately, the food is not worth the hype. First off, the chef is KOREAN...yet when you ask him he says he's Japanese, but raised in Korea. C'mon now, don't lie to kick it..your last name is clearly Korean. Secondly, there is one man running the show. That means making the food, busing the tables, cleaning up the plates, bringing out drinks...and the list goes on. So for a large group of 20, our food came out excruciatingly slow. Same with drinks. For the prices they're charging, the customer service is non-existant. Overall, it was not worth the experience...not nice enough inside for a date night....just overall overhyped. Out of the 9 courses we had, only the first one was good. The rest was uneven cuts of sashimi. I wouldn't go back, and I wouldn't recommend it to friends. read more

Steve Sawa is an artist, food is his medium, Sawa Sushi is his private, personal studio and part of his home. Make your visit with this in mind and you will experience extraordinary food and friendship and more. For 21 years, I have gone to Sawa Sushi, and it has always been a revelation. Each time I learn something new. Each time, Steve-san unveils some new surprise or special item or inventive dish. Yelp won't let me write as much as I should, so instead here is the key to the joy of Sawa Sushi: 1. LET GO ALL PRECONCEPTIONS. This is not a sushi restaurant. Sushi may or may not be part of your meal. Rice itself may or may not appear on your plate. If rice is the soul of sushi, how can one even call Sawa Sushi a sushi restaurant? It's not. In fact, it's not even a restaurant: it's a home and you are a guest; it's a studio and you are an art patron. If you try to compare a meal here to any sushi meal or even Japanese meal you've had, you're already on the wrong path. 2. YOU ARE IN A GALLERY. You don't "order" in a museum, you pay your admission and wander the rooms, open, thoughtful, willing to be challenged and delighted, surprised by something familiar and startled by something novel. You won't love every artwork: some you might not even recognize as art. Steve-san is at once your docent and your artist. He will ask you questions to make your visit enjoyable--hospitality is the paint and marble of his art, after all. The meal will be omekase, and you must trust him, as you trust the museum curator to have laid out a proper artistic experience. 3. HIGH ART COSTS. Steve-san will give you the best he can of his art at whatever price you want. The man is scrupulously honest and has a tremendous ethic. But a guided tour of a great museum, with the artist and curator at your side, often completely solo, requires deep pockets. Without alcohol, I routinely pay $200 per person, and special dishes can push that well over $400 pp. With his incredible sakes, that can climb to thousands (some of his sakes are unique in perhaps the whole country). 4. NOTE THE SAUCES. Steve-san spent his life perfecting his sauces, they are the soul of his preparations, and are critical to every dish. 5. FOLLOW THE FLOW: Each course flows, flavors from one offset and enhanced, or cleared, or underscored, by the next. Sawa-san plots the entire meal like a path through a garden, pay attention to get the most out of it. 6. HAVE FUN. I've never met an artist who actually wants you to stand in silent awe in front of their works, hushed, reverent, mute. The point of everything I've written here is to free you from all that, so you can enjoy the hospitality while enjoying the art. Expect ribbing, humor, funny stories, and funny food--yes, even the food itself can be funny. So talk, listen, engage, ask. Even challenge Steve-san back if you wish. 7. RETURN. Everything I've written here is about setting up your expectations for your first visit. After that, you won't need any help: you'll have seen what it's like and coming back is the true joy, because each visit builds on the last. That's the greatness of a meal at Sawa Sushi: the friendship that grows and the collaboration that blooms between artist and you, the patron. Got questions? Write me: peterwells at gmail ...dot... com read more

I'm not going to write a long diatribe about this place like everyone else seems to do. Here's the gist: - The guy is a jerk. - The sushi is good. - The price is ridiculous. Go there once if you are a foodie. If you're not, don't bother. Thanks for coming. read more

Finally had the opportunity to eat here, what's the verdict ? Read on ... We came back from Napa valley Saturday and decided to give this place a try despite after reading all those Yelp reviews as well as the "Sushi Bullies" articles from Wall Street Journal. I came to know this place because last year WSJ ask me if I can photograph them, I said I will try but I couldn't get in to the restaurant on time before the "Sushi Bullies" article release! Saturday I left a message and surprisingly Steve call back within 1/2 hour and we were allow to eat there and we didn't have to throw any names out (at least not until we were in the restaurant). During the phone call with Steve, it surprised us that Steve has a funny accent, I mean his Japanese has an accent ! We got there at 7pm and there were 4 people already happily enjoying there. Anyhow what strike us was an empty display fridge over the bar counter (see uploaded picture). Something seem rather unusual !! I think the empty fridge is actually a good thing ! We were greeted, sat and Steve came around from the bar to ask for our drinks. Well belu (beer) to start for sure ! He gave us the Koshihikari Echigo beer , it's rice brew larger. Most restaurants doesn't serves this beer but it is widely available in most Asian market, about $3.5 a bottle from markets. We pretty much wash it down within a couple of minutes and then we ask for 'Asahi', the most popular beer in Japan. I guess that would be the wrong item to ask for, Steve didn't kick us out but did stretch his face a little and told us he only have the rice beer, Ebisu and the Sapporo malt special. Both the malt and rice beer are rather heavy/strong pairing high quality raw fish in my opinion. We order Ebisu which is a lighter malt. Ebisu was discontinued for a few years in the US, I am glad to see them back but can be expensive from time to time. (I just pick up a 6-pack @ Nijiya for $19 !!). Anyway, we order sashimi and let Steve go on his business. We started with ankimo. Steve's ankimo serves in ponzu and I have to say after spoil by Ino's ankimo, I haven't come across any better ankimo yet. Then we follow with a number of sashimi plates, all very tasty and fresh. Toro really melt in your mouth. Then he bought out this big 1/2 fish looks like a hamachi (yellow tail) but he said it was Kanburi (http://toyama-brand.jp/Toyamawan/kanburi.html) which is a rare kind of hamachi. That was best fish of the evening. We ask Steve to recommend some sake and his question was 'expensive' or 'inexpensive', we ask for 'inexpensive' and came back with 2 bottles for us to choose. We had both (http://www.truesake.com/sakes/JG10_Dewazakura_Oka.php). We continue to sample and taste all sorts of fresh fish or marinated fish. He didn't serves us any shell fish, clams, or shrimp which seems interesting also. Everything were fresh and delicious. Our evening continue with more sashimi (I uploaded all the pictures of all the sashimi we had) and more sake and those 4 other people finally left at about 10. The entire evening was just the 7 of us ! As we chat more with Steve, it become clear to us that he is probably non-Japanese, Korean or possibily Chinese that live in Japan for a while, Korean has a strong present in Sunnyvale owning business and Sawa is in Sunnyvale, we should have realize that clue and I am not saying there is anything wrong with that. Although he said he was from Kyoto, it was obvious that the cutting & presentation was more of the Korean style, larger piece, cutting angle were not carefully calculated. Presentation was also unsophisticated. A few words on the bill, we had 2 bottles of sake and over 13 courses or so sashimi for the 3 of us. The bill come to just shy of a thousand dollars. With this level of expenditure, I would think the sophistication should be further above this level. I don't want to compare apple and orange but we had been to la Tour d' Argent and L'Espadon or even Nobu which are all charging customers at similar level like Sawa and they all have much more sophistication and services. I am not a fan of Nobu but still they have much more services, Sawa is a 1 person show. read more

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Don't let the fancy 5 star reviews trick you. Some reviews made it sound like this is a real Japanese Omakase experience. It is Sawa's own definition of Omakase. Omakase means to trust the chef and this is one chef you can trust to rob you :) I don't care about the bad service and the fact that the chef is not Japanese. You can tell immediately from the big sashimi cuts and the extensive use of sauces that this is not authentic Japanese. To be fair some of these sauces were good but thats the least you expect from spending top $$$$ here. Major low lights: - No O Toro - Uni was meh - Maguro was below average - Cooked fish was very fishy - Don't expect any real service - whatever chef wants goes - you are only there for the ride that he decides. We came in expecting the Omakase to be $125 for 6 courses - we got 7 courses then the final bill was $200 per person before tax just for the food .... WHAAAAT? We tolerated the obnoxious, arrogant, rude and annoying behavior hoping the food would make up for it. That moment never happened! The whole thing turned out to be a major disappointment. Both my friend and I had upset stomachs the entire night after dinner. Not even sure which dish caused it! You can definitely get the same or better quality in SF for half the price. read more

After all.. I just ripped off from him. He asked us more uni? i thought that was free.. But in the end he charged $58 more. The owner is Korean guy who speaks just ok Japanese. I didn't like it the way he acting like he is Japanese and he works by him self. The food was ok but after 3 fish dishes it was too much row fishes. Sake for $ 75.. after all 2 person for $400. you have to make sure what kind of course food you want to have. Otherwise he will charge more. During the dinner time he asked us.."any complaints?" i said "not yet" then he said "too bad.. If you complain i will charge you more!" cannot believe.. How he treat the customers!! Im sure that's the only one 'omakase' in San Jose. but I rather go to 'Wakuriya' or 'mitsunobu' they have much better omakase. kaiseki! at least they treat you as customer. but in sawa he acting like a 'KING' read more

If you say this place is supposed to have amazing sushi - the best in South Bay - you are wrong. The chef is arrogant and didn't want to serve us the 10 course meal because he said we wouldn't be able to eat it. OK I get it if he really respects the cuisine and doesn't want it wasted but the way he treated us - doesn't make me feel comfortable enough to enjoy the experience there. Plus the fish here is prepared in a way that is not my style. When i dine Japanese, I want my sashimi to be free of too much fusion, too many sauces, etc. He had mango with the salmon sashimi, and while it was good, I didn't go crazy for it. One had a jalapeno puree vinagrette sauce with the hamachi - it was good but again, not my style of simplicity in fish. I want to taste the fish. Then he served some cooked fish - which was too fishy for my taste in like clunks of teriyaki sauce. I just didn't see how that was a specially prepared course. Too pricey for its worth. But glad I checked it out I guess. read more

Tonight was my first time at Sawa and it was also my last time there. After reading so many reviews and seeing the rating it has on Yelp, my cousin, her boyfriend and I had decided to pay it a visit. While I can't say I am a full expert at super gourmet cuisine, I sure have eaten more than enough omakase to tell the difference and expectation one should have for paying $180 for a meal. There is absolutely no decor inside the restaurant. It's as ordinary and mediocre as any other Japanese restaurant one can find. The dinner was a six course, no rather, 5 plates of sashimi and one plate of grilled kama (fish collar). The chef's ingredients were simple. A plate of scallop, A plate of rough cut tuna, a plate of 3 strips of hamachi, 2 small pieces of tai, and couple plates of mixed fish, ikura and uni. That was it. There was no recommendation to what drinks should accompany the food. Nor was there any special fish or dish that the chef feels worthy telling us. It was to our surprise that there was no soup, no nigiri, no fatty toro, or any delicate food. The sashimi in every dish was soaked in chef's own special yuzu wasabi based sauce. In the end, every piece of fish tasted pretty much the same. No presentation and no true respect for the food. Granted that the portion for each plate was LARGE. But if I want to spend $180 to simply stuff my stomach, I would have gone to a Chinese restaurant ordering a big bowl of noodle for $12 or get a burrito to satisfy my hunger. But I did not choose Sawa to fill up my stomach. In addition, if the chef was able to cut up such huge pieces of fish for every customer, I now question how good his source of fish is from. While this is omakase by definition (chef's choice), I can't agree with anyone calling it the best sushi. I simply can't. Don't waste your money here. There are other much much much better Japanese restaurants. read more

AWESOME FOOD! the Chef is super fun to talk to and he make sure everyone is having a good time. This place is reservation only, so make sure you call ahead of time. read more

I hate reviewing places that I think are hidden gems and Sawa is definitely one of them. Cynthia C.'s review really hits the nail on the head. Come into the restaurant expecting to pay lots of $$$. This place is not for the faint of heart. Yes the chef is pretentious...at FIRST. But when he warms up to you is the funniest and happiest guy you'll ever meet. This place is for serious sashimi connoisseurs. I say sashimi because I don't think any of the dishes come with rice. So do not come here expecting rolls people. Steve don't do rolls. He just doesn't "roll" like that (*silence* - well ok I know that wasn't very funny...) :) Here's what you need to know: 1. If you really want in, make a reservation! Steve will only take as many people as he can fit at the bar or if he's serving people mid-course then he will not take any new customers (i saw this first hand). 2. There is no menu. You just go in and he brings out the courses as they are ready. 3. You do not tell him how many courses you want. You just tell him when to stop.This is TRUE OMAKASE. Make sure to keep count of how many courses you have ordered. Sometimes he loses count. 4. There is no soy sauce. The dishes are perfect as they are. 5. The food is quite filling. I stopped at 6 courses. He doesn't serve small slices of fish. 6. He will warm up after time and is quite funny. 7. NO PICTURES. He will reprimand you for this and there will be some awkwardness for a little while if you do try and take pics. 8. It's expensive. What can I say? you pay for quality. 9. There is unlimited mochi ice cream at the end. :) 10. This is the best OMAKASE in the area. Now please don't all go rushing to Sawa at one time. I would like to take my husband and in-laws here sometime. Besides, if you're not careful then Steve may just kick you out. ;) read more