Sawa is always a joy to enjoy and his 30+ years of being open shines through. This is the best sashimi you will have in the south bay. Highest quality of fish (flown in from Japan), and his home made (from scratch) are a perfect complement to his fish. Sake lovers will find sake you can only get in Japan.

Sawa Sushi is serious, no-compromises omakase sashimi. The owner knows his craft and knows the fish. My wife and I have been to Sawa a few times now - Valentine's day plus a few more weekends. Each time, we've been surprised with the exquisite quality of the sashimi and skill of the chef. Come here if you want: 1. Serious sashimi - reservations are needed because the chef will literally fly in fish from Japan the day of your meal to serve it to you that evening 2. An extensive sake selection 3. A skillful, highly knowledgeable chef who will spoil you all evening with excellent food and commentary

A hidden gem, historically known only by word-of-mouth amongst Silicon Valley celebrities. Chef Sawa is an artisan, having experimented and evolved his craft over several decades in the bay area. His approach and persona will divide the Yelp public. But he is steadfast in his commitment and philosophy to his approach to food and Sawa Sushi. As a testament, Sawa Sushi has cultivated a devoted, loyal following and clientele in these several decades. If one approaches his restaurant with preconceived notions of what is fine dining or concept of "Japanese food," then I can see where cognitive dissonance or disappointment may arise. If one approaches from mindset of understanding and patience, then you can appreciate his creativity and artistry. I am a fan of Chef Sawa. He is certainly not for everyone. Either ways, he will leave an impression. It is an experience that is meant to define your own concept of culinary taste, for good or for bad. Just like a good book or a good work of art. His restaurant is definitely not meant for kids or minors.

It's been over 20 years and I love Sawa Sushi still! Mr Sawa squeezed me in last minute as a solo diner since I was shopping in the area. So kind of him. Also I was one of his frequent customers in year 1 when he opened and I was living in the area. Everything was oiishi! He asked me if I had any dietary restrictions. I said no and then continued with examples of things I did like... he heard heard Uni and then went off and opened up his "treasure box" from Japan. It was amazing!!!! Think of ahhhhhwwww sound in movies when they open a box and then it glows... I swear I heard the sound of angles and boy did it glow... He set me up with 3-4 courses before the uni course w/ otoro-chu toro! I was getting so full! I literally ate up every little thing on each plate before the uni course. The first course was the cold scallops with chilled Japanese cucumber + radish... the next course: Salad with Sakura fish. Delicious and the dressing was amazing with a dusting of power made from 72 different dried beans (imparts a slight roasted nutty flavor). His flavors all his own custom concoctions or Japanese imported (the wasabi was from Niigata) . And the cuts were more than generous! In the end I had to take 3 pieces home because I just could not eat another bite. But that means yummy midnight snack! While I was there, a Sake specialist entered and I learned a little more about all the super premium sake that Sawa carried at the restaurant. I was driving back up to SF after dinner, so I did not drink anything but water. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the dinner a lot more if paired with some smooth clean cold sake! Next time!

My husband brought me here for my birthday, we had the whole place to ourselves . It was one of the best, if not the best sushi I have had. If you're trying to get rolls and California rolls , this is not your place. Go to Safeway and get sushi there. This is the place to come when you want to experience REAL Japanese food. Come with an open mind - it is a restaurant for foodies only . Ps. I have never liked uni , however, after trying the uni here I have to say I have changed my mind. Amazing experience , amazing chef.

If you are a lover of sashimi, this Sashimi Omakase restaurant is highly recommended! The owner is a knowledgeable and interesting guy who mentioned that his restaurant is invested by NVIDIA's CEO Jenson Huang. Later, it was discovered that NVIDIA's videos can also be found on the restaurant's website. Thanks to the recommendations from some tech celebrities, various well-known figures in the industry often visit the restaurant, even including the CEO of my company. So, there is a chance that you might meet some big names while dining there! The vibe is very chill The cuisine is mainly centered around sashimi and sauce, without any main courses, making it a paradise for carb-free enthusiasts! The sashimi is incredibly fresh, using high-quality ingredients. The chef will serve you what he thinks is best, with a total of 6 courses, each with its own unique characteristics and generous portion size. The sauces are also specially made, including Hokkaido scallops, salmon, salmon roe, tuna, sea bream, clam, sweet shrimp, and mochi ice cream for dessert. You will definitely feel full but not heavy, as there are no carbs in the dishes.

What you read on the reviews are all true- it's what you like I guess. I did not do my research, walked in, and was totally caught off guard. I was stiff and closed off and reading reviews frantically at the bar and was questioning my friend's choice of restaurant. After a bit of time, I put the phone away and let myself experience. I had a good time. The chef is super funny. He liked that I spoke Japanese a bit I think, and we had a lot of fun. It definitely was a different experience. A 4 star because it was so fun, but I need a bit more in my meal. I'm glad everything is super fresh and excellent- and these days, sourcing is so important. I will never forget my meal at Sawa.

Legitimately some of the best sushi I've had, on par with the best in Japan. My husband and I made a booking for 6pm to celebrate our anniversary. The shop is located in a strip mall-type plaza, and is VERY unassuming (on the plus side, easy parking!). Once you go inside, the layout is very similar to your standard Japanese restaurant, sushi bar on one side and a few tables surrounding it. We sat at the sushi bar a few seats away from another couple (the restaurant was otherwise empty and our chef was very good about following covid precautions). The omakase here is served as sashimi instead of nigiri (so no rice), but you get VERY generous slices. The fish is SO fresh (our uni was packaged and flown from Japan literally yesterday) and flavorful, my taste buds experienced more flavors than I thought existed. Our chef also makes his own sauces and you can truly taste that there's something special about the sauces. Never had anything like them before. And I truly do mean generous portions, the fatty tuna and uni course was bigger than my fist (see pictures). Our other favorite courses were the scallop and sakura-masu (similar to salmon but much fattier and more flavorful). The meal is very pricy ($500 for the standard course and we also got an extra one that was added on), but you definitely get your money's worth. I haven't been so happy and satisfied with my sushi in years (prob since my last visit to Japan). I really want to come back next time I'm in town, but the owner says he might be retiring soon. Regardless, I'm so glad I had the chance for this experience! Anyone looking for legit omakase NEEDS to come check out Sawa.

This is one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in my life! Steve is extremely fun and social and makes great food. As long as you come in with an open mind, you'll love whatever he makes you. It's a little pricey, but you're not only paying for food, you're paying for the entire experience. Talking with Steve and him changing the menu to suit your tastes is part of the amazing experience. He literally gave our party an entire tray of uni, a tin of beluga caviar, and the biggest Wagyu steak I've ever seen. Everything made the meal completely worth the price!