Danielle R.
Yelp
This, in no way, compares to Katsuya next door. Sure, in ambiance it's nice and trendy. But food options are beyond limited and there is no happy hour (which... It's a bar. Katsuya next door has a great bar happy hour that we have gone to for years.)
We ordered the $20 sashimi platter which is served on a sheet of ice instead of a plate. Definitely cool in theory (no pun intended), but in practice it literally freezes your raw fish into a slushy texture, which is not functional for eating. Half your fish sticks to the ice like it's the kid's tongue in A Christmas Story! Also the amount of sashimi for $20 is pretty tiny.
The menu states you're added an automatic 18% gratuity for all bills, but our check explicitly noted gratuity was not included. It was confusing, especially if you've had a few drinks, so definitely double check your bill so you don't tip twice accidentally.
Overall I was underwhelmed, especially for what I expected as someone who has gone to SBE places all over for more than a decade.