Sawa Sushi

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I had such a wonderful experience here. Chef Steve made such a big impression upon me because of the love of his work and his love for only the cleanest, healthiest and best tasting ingredients. I read many reviews on Unilocal and made reservations. You have to make reservations! The chance to spend time with Chef Steve made the fantastic food even that much better. His attention to the quality and seasonality of the ingredients and his willingness to share his philosophy on what makes «excellence» makes the experience truly unique. And, he’s very funny and charming. I was honored to be a guest in Chef Steve’s restaurant. Thank you.

What can I say about Steve and his creations? He’s the absolute best. The bad reviews on him are due to ignorant customers. Did Steve deny you service because you didn’t make reservations? Good, because clearly you don’t know the rules. Did Steve «offend» you by only offering omakase? Good, because you don’t know good sushi.
We heard about Sawa Sushi on Unilocal.We did our research and knew we had to make reservations. We made reservations on a Saturday night by calling two hours beforehand. Easy.
We arrived on time. The place looks closed from the outside but don’t let that scare you.
We entered politely, and I will be honest, I was intimidated and didn’t know what to expect. But right away, Steve greeted us loudly and seated us. There was another family of four next to our group of three.
Steve started asking about us and where we are from, and was incredibly friendly. He’s also the most hilarious person I have ever met. He made us feel incredibly comfortable.
He offered us sake and told us the different price points. We went with the least expensive: a $ 75 bottle of sweet sake. It was amazing.
Then came the fresh fish. The scallops were amazing and very memorable. The uni and toro was nothing like I’ve ever had. The uni was the best I’ve ever had and I’ve eaten a lot of uni. The salmon and caviar dish was incredible as well. All sauces are homemade and a couple are quite spicy. Enjoy every bite.
The last fish was fish cheek that was prepared perfectly. So so so good.
Steve offered plenty of extra fish throughout the course — If he likes you, he’ll go far for you.
We ended the dinner with delicious homemade mochi.
We eat a lot of sushi and this one is definitely at the top of our list. I wish we lived closer but we will certainly come to this area often just for the sushi.
Price point– our bill for three people was $ 550 before tip. Take the $ 75 bottle of sake out and you get $ 158/​person price point. I would pay this any day for Sawa Sushi, especially since most omakases in SF run $ 80-​$ 150 but this fish was the freshest we’ve had.

Before I decided to have our wedding anniversary dinner here, I pored through the reviews. The angry, angry 1-​star reviews were worrying but also intriguing were the number of 5-​star reviews this place has. In short, very polarized response.
Well, my husband and I just had our anniversary dinner here and I think it comes down to this:
Don’t eat here if you’re of the mindset that being a paying customer means you should have things as you wish, as you’re used to. You will wind up sore in the wallet and very unhappy.
(Let it be said right now that if you’re looking for subservience to go with your rainbow/​dragon/​whatever roll, you need to look elsewhere.)
However, if you can see a chef-​run establishment as an extension of his craft and the embodiment of his passion, and therefore show respect for the chef’s choices and his effort, I’m very sure you’ll have a very memorable and rewarding experience that’s well worth the money.
For example: Don’t assume it’s your right to take pictures in someone’s establishment. Ask. I did and he was totally fine with it.
Also, take your time with the food. Pay attention to the details and show your appreciation for them. This will not only enhance your experience but encourage him to serve you more interesting courses and tell you more about what you’re eating. It’s a two-​way street, and by that, I don’t just mean that you pay and he prepares/​cooks. If you give respect, you’ll get it back.
Finally, for all the people griping about reservations: He only accepts reservations because it helps him manage his food ordering/​stocking, to ensure that customers get the freshest fish of the season.
And boy is it the best you can get, at any given time of the year.
I have lived and traveled in Asia and Japan for most of my life and grew up in a Japanese household, yet this is some of the best sashimi I have ever had. It is unconventional, but oh so good. The fish and produce he uses are of very high quality and his flavor/​texture pairings are delightful and well-​thought out.
So if you’re looking for a Japanese meal to savor and remember, go on and call for that reservation.
Just remember to leave your conventions and preconceived notions at the door.

Tonight was a made up for my husband’s belated birthday so I want to find a very good sushi place. It’s so great that we found Sawa, as it is one of the best Japanese restaurant we’ve ever tried! Fresh fishes, scallops, shrimps. Each dish has unique favor, combined with sashimi, it was delicious!
Steve Sawa, the owner was very friendly, he served us food, tea, and talked to us. This was one great dinner experience.

There is no menu and no set price. Chef Steve Sawa will serve you what he likes. When he is done, he will check to see if you want more. His portions are good size for sashimi. We got 5 individual courses (one dish per person) and 5 shared courses (one dish shared between two people). It was enough to be satisfied but not stuffed.
All but one dish was raw so if you love sashimi, you will like this. They don’t serve rolls, fried appetizers or other typical American-​Japanese restaurants serve.
What sets Sawa Sushi apart is their fresh fish. You can really taste the sweetness in the fish and the textures are spot on. The sauces are good but tend to be a bit repetitive in underlying flavors. That’s not a bad thing if you like it. I really enjoyed the quality of the fish.
Because there is no published pricing, go only if your budget can withstand a $ 450 — $ 500 hit for two. I’d be a regular if I win the lotto.

Thought it’s on the pricey side, the quality of the fish is amazing! Never had uni so fresh. Sawa has very interesting stories to tell and was extremely generous with portions. After dessert, homemade mochi, he happily offered more food despite already giving us the check.
He’s enthusiastic about his food and had some funny jokes. Would recommend anyone who loves sushi and an intimate dinner experience to check it out, but keep in mind «No reservation? There’s the door…»

I’ll first say that I read a good chunk of the reviews prior to going and knew that this place was polarizing. It seems that you either love it or hate it with few in between.
Count me in the «love it» camp. Here’s why:
Steve first asks you if you have any allergies or any foods you want to avoid. While you’d think most places do this, I’ve been to many omakase places that don’t and I appreciate his accommodation here. Additionally, we found him to be very kind, courteous, and conversational. He was attentive without being obtrusive and we felt very well taken care of in his hands.
Each dish is carefully prepared, beautiful to the eye, and boldly flavored. The fish was of course fresh and married perfectly with harmonious sauce pairings. My scallop dish was so good that I DRANK the sauce from the plate. Um yeah. Anyway, as other reviews have mentioned, Steve uses high quality ingredients in high quantity. Each plate featured several slices of sashimi and often generous helpings of roe.
Make sure you tell him when you’re full! We were stuffed somewhere around dish 7 and had we not said anything, he would have kept on busily crafting his creations.
And finally a tip — reservations are an absolute must. Consider that high quality sashimi has a very short shelf life. Reservations allow for him to buy the amount of fish needed to keep quality and freshness high. Please don’t flake on your reservation — don’t let that fish go to waste!

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.

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)

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.

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.

tl;dr: It is premium Omakase sushi ONLY. No menu, no rolls, no teriyaki or katsu, no ginger, no soy sauce, and no hot tea. No walk-​ins. Reservations only. It is not cheap in quality nor cost.
My Take
You have to set your expectations correctly when you try Sawa Sushi. You do not walk in there thinking it’s just like any other sushi shop. This is for the connoisseur – not for the newbies. It’s like going to a good concert. You sit back and enjoy the experience… in your mouth!
How was the food?
Fresh, harmonious, rich, deep flavors, filling, and savory. It’s mostly served sashimi style, along with chef’s own take on mixes. Each course was inspired and non-​accidental. Chef pays attention to the different elements of his ingredients. In most courses, I noticed the mixtures accentuated the natural flavor, texture and aroma of the main fish/​seafood on the plate. It’s definitely one of those moments where you want to savor that last piece on your plate.
Here’s a tip on how you can identify the different layers of flavor in what you’re eating: sample a little bit of every portion of your plate by themselves first, and then have them as a mix. If you taste something that resembles vinegar or something acidic, then that will be your palette cleanser later. Take a bite of the fish/​seafood by itself. Now take a bite of it again, but this time with the other mixes on your plate. Now you’re tuning in to the song in your mouth :)
Remember to take a taste of that palette cleanser after you are done with the plate. Wash it off with a little sip of water.
How was the service?
I compared our Chef to one of the best college professors I had. He gets polarized reviews of both love and hate. I took the chance to try the experience, hoping to make my own conclusion. I then realize that he is controversial because «He gives a damn» about what he’s doing. It’s not a payday for him – it is his art. His creation and delivery comes from the heart. If the consumer of his art is not satisfied, then he is not satisfied. Most haters either misunderstand the concept or just aren’t ready for this level of experience.
How was the bill?
Pricey, but in a good way. This was a well-​deserved pricey bill. Would I pay that much for a good concert or a good show? Yes. Yes, I would (and I have).
How was the crowd?
There was only five of us in the room at that time. There was me, my GF, and another group of three guys. It was quiet in there, except for the occasional laughs we all shared whenever Chef cracked a joke. Sometimes his humor might come off as abrasive to someone with thin skin – just a heads up.
How was the experience?
Great! Honestly, if I had tried this place more than 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have appreciated it as well as I do now. My palette for sushi would have not been ready for this. I feel like this level is for those who have had their fill of all kinds of sushi (good, bad, cheap, premium, etc.) This place is for someone who knows what they like. It’s a place for people who can appreciate artful gastronomy. If you are in the phase where sushi still means california rolls or teriyaki chicken is your staple or you still prefer your fish cooked… you might want to wait until you’re out of that phase before you try this place.
Don’t leave a bad review just because you couldn’t comprehend what this place is about. Blame yourself for being ill-​prepared. The polarized reviews – be it very good or very bad – are good indicators that this place matters. What’s important is that people are talking about it. Rock stars have their polarized haters and fans too. You can’t please everyone. You just have to stay true to your craft. And to that, Sawa Sushi does stay true to their intention.

Had a chance to have dinner here last night.
Sushi Steve is hella funny. Always cracking jokes at folks who come in, whether they have reservations or not.
Our dinner lasted about an hour and a half with six courses. After the 6^th course, he asked us if we were still hungry and offered us more food at no charge if we wanted. The six courses was enough so we stopped there.
It truly is omakase style. I had no idea what was coming out, but judging by the pics in the Unilocal,the servings are pretty consistent with a little bit of variations depending on the season perhaps.
It’s a good experience if you wanna try something different and I’m glad the south bay has something like this. I spent about $ 150 in total and I think it was worth it.

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)!

the thing with Steve is if he doesn’t like you he will charge you more, he in fact doesn’t want you back nor does he want your friends to come. That’s why you see such a difference in reviews, the 1 star reviews were treated poorly because Steve didn’t want them back.
The guy has made more than enough money that he can afford to do what he wants which in his case is make awesome hit or miss sushi. I was there with a friend and our total bill came to $ 300 we ate far too many dishes and when I remarked that the bluefin tuna was delicious he simply cut 4 large slices for me, in any other place that would have been an extra $ 80.
It’s hard to recommend this place to people if you are under 30 and not willing to take a risk. But if you are up for the challenge you can have an awesome sushi experience.

This is the best Omakase that I’ve ever had, fish are fresh and juicy, Steve (the chef and owner, he’s Japanese from Kyoto) makes sure that all sashimi are premium for his customers. He makes all sauces, finds and imports the greatest Sake and beer to go with. It’s nice to be able to chat and know the story of Fish and Sake with the chef while eating the succulent dinner. I don’t know why people complain about the generosity the cut of the fish, the bigger the cut the merrier it is, right?

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 Unilocal,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 décor 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.

When we pulled up to Sawa Sushi for the first time, we found its nondescript storefront, situated next to a Subway sandwich shop in the middle of a semi-​desolate strip mall, to be almost laughably ironic when compared to its reputation as being an exquisite Michelin star omakase experience.
— THE FOOD:
Oh man, the fish was delicious, and Steve also ended up doing some custom dishes for us in the end. We had MANY, many courses — I think far more than the average 8 or so — we ended up with around 12: scallop, hamachi, toro, uni, and various other sashimi served with deliciously light, fresh vinaigrette sauce. The key to eating this meal was just letting the fish just melt in your mouth before chewing to get the full extent of the flavors. We did ask us for any allergies in the beginning (peanuts!) and the overall meal was better than some dining experiences I’ve even had in Tokyo.
I also loved the homemade mochi that was the last course — he ended up giving us an extra helping of it after we told him how much we loved it.
— EVERYTHING ELSE + STEVE /​aka what you may have read in other reviews ! :
While it is true that the overall packaging of the food + ambiance/​décor/​etc is likely off-​putting to the casual diner who is simply looking for an easy breezy Japanese meal, that’s not really what Sawa is going for in the first place. Believe me, I always love a simple, easy sushi meal at a place that caters to the largest common denominator but that’s not really what this is. Rather, Sawa is a restaurant dedicated to the true craft of sashimi — which makes it an exquisite experience for serious aficionados of Japanese cuisine.
I think it’s important to note what the definition of *omakase* is: basically it means you leave the selection of the entire meal up to the discretion of the chef, who takes it upon him/​herself to craft the best experience for you. Menus do not exist; the only customization he’d do is if you had a deadly allergy to something. So yeah, if you walked into this restaurant where the chef is *world-​renowned* for his omakase presentation and ask him for a menu, of course he’d be miffed. It would be like asking a master Parisian dessert chef if he would make you some spaghetti (not the most direct comparison, but hopefully you get the gist).
— OVERALL:
In sum, this place is really not for you if you:
— are just looking for a breezy sushi meal
— don’t have a base understanding Japanese omakase service. luckily, you’re here, and you know! :)
— potentially take friendly sarcasm personally
But this totally is the place for you if you LOVE Japanese cuisine and are open-​minded/​adventurous to new dining experiences!

Definitely acquired taste. for the food as well as the chef. I love the sauces and the fish is awesome. The sushi chef, Steve, can be awkward but as long as you stay on his good side you’ll be fine. Reminds me of the Seinfeld guy, «NO SOUP FOR YOU.» But there’s a reason people keep coming back. great fish with unique sauce pairings.