Just an amazing dinner experience in a minimalistic chic setting. A must when in LA and Rodeo Drive. Urasawa delivers inventive sushi using only top fresh produce. A once-in-a-lifetime experience!

In between shopping on R.D. make sure you have lunch or dinner here. If you think Japan has the finest restaurants, you will see that this place outshines them all. The food was of outstanding taste and freshness and nobody beats their presentation. High Cuisine...at it's best.More

OK, it's expensive. But with just ten guests seated at the prep counter and an additional table that seats four, this is basically a private dinner prepared by a master with nothing but the finest ingredients. It's well worth the price of admission. Dinner is...about three to four hours long, traversing a wide variety of food items. I captured a few pictures before the meal started but we were forbidden to snap shots once the food items were being prepared. Chef Hiro has a wonderfully precise and fastidious technique and it is a joy to watch a true maestro. He is as much a surgeon and magician as he is a chef. He is very particular about the way you consume his preparations and though some may take offense, keep in mind that he is just trying to ensure you achieve the optimal sensory experience. There was not a single item served that was not special and delicious. One thing I appreciated was that he not only serves the raw fish at room temperature, but when he cups and shapes the sushi, he holds it firmly in his hand and closes his eyes as if in prayer. This step adds just a bit extra warmth to the fish and when it hits your mouth, the flavor is intense. This approach is only successful with seafood that is fresh because the added warmth augments the inherent flavor. Though I lost count, we must have had 20-25 individual courses including a variety of seafood and Kobe-like beef dishes. Some were raw and some cooked. The wasabi and ginger served with the food were prepared from fresh roots before your eyes. The wine list is small and there is a variety of sakes that are mostly moderately priced. The restaurant is hard to find unless you know where to look. It is directly across from the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, up the stairs ascending the small hill. Go to the elevator in the corner and you will see the name. Enjoy!More

If you love sushi then you need to experience Urasawa. We went with a party of 4 and were seated in front of our sushi chef. The sushi chef spent the next 2 hours making delicacies just for our party one by one. He would...carefully examine each cut of fish, discarding it if it did not meet his expectations. As you are served by an attentive staff you will be instructed on how to eat your sushi for maximum flavor. The flavors are mind blowing! You will experience an extensive range of the freshest fish and flavors. You will also try sushi with things like Kobe beef and even mushrooms. I should mention over the 2 hours you will be severed close to 30 courses. Please go here with an empty stomach. If it's to much food, tell the chef and he will accommodate. The resturant only seats about 12 people so reservations far in advance are needed. I should also mention it is fairly pricy, close to $500 per person. But I promise you need this experience at least once in your life!More

This was a once in a lifetime experience you will want to have over and over. All of the courses are a spectacular work of art that melts in your mouth. I didn't know sushi could taste so good. The service was amazing. The food...preparation was a sight to be seen. I thought the ambience was perfect. It was quiet and peaceful which allowed me to really focus on the food and savor every bite. Hiro-San was kind and generous and his meticulous preparation of food will leave you speechless. Leaving the restaurant at the end of the night was bittersweet but I knew I had to go. Thirty plus courses was a little bit more than I thought I could handle. Come hungry and be prepared for the best sushi of your life. You may not be able to eat sushi from another restaurant again, at least for a few months anyway. Don't let the hefty bill scare you. It's cheaper than traveling to Japan.More

Urasawa has built well on the former Masa owned restaurant, refining traditions and keeping well established combinations such as Toro and Imperial Beluga, Foie Gras Shabu Shabu etc. The most amazing feature in my opinion is the calm, yet intense atmosphere in which every dish...is prepared in front of you. Although expensive, it is worth it if you enjoy the subtleties and strive for perfect balance in temperature and texture of high quality, seasonal ingredients. Looking forward to going back every now and so often...More

We managed to get a booking for 4 on at the bar on a Thursday evening (the bar seats 9 people max) and there's a separate table that can seat 2, so we were pretty lucky. Service was friendly and attentive but not overwhelming, the...atmosphere was Zen like. Watching the sushi chef carve into each fish and preparing the sushi in front of us is always a treat. It's all about the food here at Urasawa, the sushi was simply divine. If you love sushi you just have to go, it's a once in a life time experience. Would I go again? You bet! Highlights for me was the Foie Gras cooked Shabu Shabu style...Oh My GOD! amazing! The different cuts of Toro was just delicious and melts in your mouth! The Shrimp sushi which is beheaded/prepared in front of you tasted like lobster with a crunchy texture and sweet flavour. Santa Barbara Sea Urchin was also wonderful! I wish I didn't live so far away so that I can pay Urasawa a visit for a special occasion, the price is steep but it's not a place where you'll eat at every single night.More

A really once in a lifetime experience, worth ever penny and start saving the pennies because you will need a lot more than Pennies. The owner chef is amazing. Thoughtful and helpful , He not only delivers but talks you thru and amazing meal..The service...was professional,attentive and courteous without being over bearing. The food was outstanding and once you Start you totally understand the freshness and quality of his food only found in Japan or here!, WORTH the experience and price.More

After spending more than $6,000 one night, my husband and I were baffled that upon a suggestion by one of our guests, the owner chef waved his hand and with bulged eyes said, "You don't have to come back if you don't like it!" The...story was, given the statement that all unused fish would be thrown away everynight, our guest requested more sushi. The sous chef responded with a few excuses and attempted to ignore the request. When my guest insisted, the sous chef spattered out, "This is not an all-you-can eat!". How would you feel if you had been my guest? How would you feel if you had been us? Two things for sure, we will NEVER spend a dime there again and this place is over-rated.More

My husband took me to Urasawa for my birthday dinner this past Friday night. The other reviews pretty much nailed it on the head: Urasawa offers amazing Japanese cuisine, presented in glorious style with amazing service, but it is very expensive (and worth it) and...extraordinarily filling. Service was amazing. Presentation and food quality were amazing. We experienced some tastes and flavors we'd never before had--some we liked, some we didn't, but we really enjoyed the culinary adventure. That being said, it WAS way too much food. Both my husband and I ate only breakfast knowing how big the meal here was alleged to be, and even then we were still over-stuffed by the incredible amount of food provided. Still, you definitely get plenty of food and experience for the outrageous amount of money you pay! Overall, we really enjoyed Urasawa, but it definitely is not something we yearn to repeat. Though we very much appreciated the culinary adventure, it certainly is appropriate for those who truly enjoy the range of Japanese cuisine as presented in an authentic top sushi house in Japan. For those with more American ranges in sushi/Japanese palate, we assume there might be better options for the money. We enjoyed our meal, but we assume we won't return. A fantastic experience, but one left for the memories for us.More

Masa's student is running a small Sushi restaurant on Via Rodeo. It is truly high level, but the food is very serious... can't leave anything on the plate or reject anything Yuki serves. Not for everyone.

When we finally found this place - 12 seats in a small space tucked in a non-descript "office space" on North Rodeo - we wondered if it would live up to the hype. The chef worked at Masa in NY and the influences are evident:...ingredients, flavors, style and price. With the exception of the last of these, these are all good things, and despite the cost it was worth it. There is no menu - everything is omekase (chef's choice) - which is also a good thing as everything we tasted was truly excellent. Fresh sashimi, the most delicately flavored vegetables, shabu shabu, the most delicious fatty toro with caviar... The wine pairings were perfect and this was one of the most balanced and perfect meals I have ever enjoyed. The service and attention to detail were meticulous without being overbearing. The only downside was a group of incredibly loud diners who seemed oblivious to the fact that others were not part of their social gathering. Once they left and we could hear ourselves speak, it was divine...More