Sushi NAKATA

Easy reservations via Yelp waitlist or reservations link on Yelp app FOOD 4/5 They kindly offered complimentary assorted pickles as an app. Overall, fresh sashimi and sushi - Got their specials and a few others that all hit the mark. Satisfied with the quality and selections! SERVICE 4/5 Amazing courteous service from the entire staff throughout the dining experience PARKING 4/5 Easy free parking and a lot nearby or street parking

Elegant, cozy sushi spot in Old Town Monrovia. All our rolls were super fresh and light, and they had some unique, authentic dishes that you don’t find at the other sushi spots in town like Chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard) and Agedashi tofu. For our sushi rolls we tried the Lime Roll and Salmon Truffle Roll. The Salmon Truffle Roll is exactly as it sounds - crab on the inside with salmon and truffle on top. I don’t usually like salmon sushi rolls anywhere but this was a pleasant exception. The Lime Roll has spicy tuna and crab inside topped with albacore and yuzu miso. It was my fave - very light and refreshing. And all their fish was super fresh! We had their miso soup to start which was good - what you’d expect from a quality sushi spot. The Agedashi tofu was fantastic!! It was lightly fried with a delicate texture and came in a deliciously umami sauce - highly recommend! The Chawanmushi was very unique - it’s a small cup of Japanese egg custard - it’s savory with a fish-forward profile and served slightly warm. I’m not a fan of strong fish flavors and this was too much for me (I was actually expecting a sweet custard desert haha!) - but my hubby loved it. It’s a quality appetizer and I would recommend if you like those sorts of dishes. Prices are just a tad more than the other surrounding sushi spots but this experience was definitely a little more elevated. Staff were warm, welcoming, and attentive. The shop is very small and space is tight - but it has excellent views of old town and felt very cozy. They fill up fast during busy night like the Friday farmers market but they take reservations I think. Definitely had a great dinner and will be back!

Sushi Nakata is an absolute hidden gem tucked away in Monrovia's old town. I was pleasantly surprised how good their sushi is, it's the closest thing I've tried to authentic Japanese sushi outside of Japan. Not only was the sushi great, but the service was exceptional. I really enjoyed dining there & will absolutely return.

This is my favorite sushi restaurant in Monrovia and the surrounding cities. Quality and taste are both consistently great 👍🏻

The best sushi experience I have ever had! Love is the secret ingredient at this cozy, fun sushi restaurant. Sit at the six seat sushi bar and let master sushi chef Tadanari indulge you! This is the kind of place that develops its reputation by word of mouth and time. I had the omakase and a bottle Of sake which was Tadanari’s recommendation. When I sat down I was surrounded by friendly, consistent regulars who even shared sake with me. Become friends with James who is there 4 days a week. He has travelled all over the world. No surprise why he eats here all the time. Service is very attentive and humble. Cant wait to come back! This place will go down as a legendary place and guests will travel from all over LA to make it here. I would recommend reservations in advance.

Really awesome local joint! I usually get their nigiri sets but last night just got a few simple rolls - super fresh ingredients and great quality fish. Very friendly service as well!

Stopped in to try this place out. The rolls were smaller than what I am used to at a sushi spot but I really enjoyed that. The rice does not over power the taste of everything else and you don't get full right away. I tried 4 different rolls, they were very delicious. I would come back to this location again. It is a bit on the pricey side but the flavor of the food makes up for it. Check it out, and enjoy. Make sure to check the pictures out.

I was suddenly craving some sushi, and this place popped up on my Google out of nowhere. I had to say, it’s AMAZING! Especially they take reservations even during COVID for their limited outdoor seatings. I highly recommend for any Uni lovers to ask for Uni menus before going there, and they didn’t disappoint: very sweet and quality Uni for our visit. We ordered 2 Omakase sets (comes with appetizers, soup, a small dish and some nigiri), and 4 Uni sushi — great portion, and ok value. My only concern is that the side walk is too close to the tables due to limited space outdoor, and you will get a lot of walking pass you within 2-3 feet... most of them do wear a mask but still!! In summary, I do recommend this place if you are looking for a place to sit down and enjoy some good sushi during this uncertain time. Stay safe everyone 🙏

Very lucky to have some of the best sushi I've ever had walking distance from my house. It's super cozy and the staff is helpful.

My son brought me here for my birthday on Christmas Eve 12/24/2024 and it was AMAZING!! The sushi was so delicious and fresh!! The service was awesome!! We felt welcomed and we really enjoyed our meal!! It's so clean and inviting!! It's cozy and very nice!! Small restaurant but so full of charm!! Located in beautiful old town Monrovia! We can walk here from our house!! Just great!! Highly recommend!! Arigato sushi nakata! We will return!

Ramen - Too salty. Tastes like ramen you can buy in the fridge section from 99 Ranch Market, but they added salt. Bamboo was not fresh, made me and my partner both feel sick...for $20? Really??? Otoro - Rice did not feel like sushi rice (not warm, was kind of hard). The texture of the fish was very soft and buttery, so that's a plus. But sushi was overall bland..All texture no substance. You'd expect better for one of the most expensive cuts, but I also got a big chunk of tendon that I spit out. That's a first. Takoyaki - Octopus was more hard than chewy, didn't taste good. Spicy Tuna Rolls - Decent. Best thing I had here. Nothing wrong with this, about same quality as a Marukai's or Mitsuwa's bento section. Everything was at least presentable and I had no issues with staff and their customer service. Came here to test their otoro and see if it's worth coming back for omakase... Not happening.

Note that we chose to sit outdoor since we brought our dog. Good thing we reserved a table on a Friday (when there is an evening fair every Friday), that means lot of people with kids around. Imagine dining in the noisy crowd. Food served was tiny and overpriced, tasted okay. Sashimi slices are super thin. Miso soup is not free. Took 20 mins+ to receive the Uni Pasta appetizer after eating the rest of our sushi orders. We were ready to leave and pay the check without the pasta but it eventually arrived. Would we go back? Probably not. Sometimes trying something new can leave you disappointed.

Wanted to give a quick shout out to their happy hour. It's every day they are open from 5 pm to 6 pm. Love it because a) it has a comprehensive HH menu - you can stay within it and get a decent meal with a drink, b) it is extremely affordable, c) it has more than just Cali rolls on it, including sashimi and sushi, and d) it's a very nice quality, too! We walked in at 5 pm, and by 5:30 the place was completely full - I guess a few locals know about this place' secret!

Nakata is an amazing fresh high quality sushi restaurant. Very very authentic and the owners are always so nice and attentive.

A hidden gem in old town Monrovia that needs to be uncovered. We went because our usual spot was closed unfortunately. We shared the omakase and it was delicious!! Our chef was prompt and really cool so I bought him a shot of sake lol. Everything was reasonably priced and one item more delicious than the next. Definitely recommend trying here !

Service is 6 stars. Chef is skillful and nice. Food came out timely and everything was delicious. He is always checking if you're ready for next course. Servers are always checking and clearing out dirty plates. They are all so nice and friendly. The small setting makes it so they pay 110% attention to all of us. Food is excellent. All cuts are good quality, nigiri has great ratio of fish and rice. Chawanmushi is very delicious. We got the omakase set. All reviews are right, they have the most affordable and bestest omakase set in the area. $70 and $125, you get a full set of appetizer, first and second course, side, dessert, and great service. They have 2 entrances/restaurants. The 1 in the corner is for ramen, the other 1 is for sushi. Both are pretty small and intimate setting. You can see and talk to chef, pretty close proximity. They have outdoor tables too. Great neighborhood/downtown overall.

Some of the best sushi you can find in the SGV. Never been let down. Everyone is incredibly welcoming. Love this place.

I had seen this restaurant during the Farmers Market on Fridays and told myself I needed to stop by. I stopped by recently for dinner. The restaurant is on the smaller side with a few tables inside, a few outside, and a few areas around the sushi bar. The servers were great. They were both friendly and attentive. I tried a few items: spicy garlic edamame, ono sushi, salmon truffle roll, shrimp tempura, and a California roll. All of the items tasted great. The edamame was delicious. The ono was probably my favorite. The salmon truffle roll was packed with flavor. The shrimp tempura had perfectly fried shrimp. The California roll tasted good. Unfortunately, they were out of toro, so I need to stop at another time to give it a try. I recommend this restaurant if you want to have yummy sushi.

Came to sushi NAKATA for Valentine's Day and it was the best date anyone could ask for. We ordered the Premium Omakase and not only is the food outstanding, but the NAKATA team is so kind, friendly and patient. They were so busy, but made sure that we had everything we needed and were apologetic about the wait (it's V-Day in LA, we get it) but we didn't mind as it's like this every year! My favorite here is always the Hokkaido scallop and Toro...but the Chawanmushi and baked Salmon collar were such a delight! Thank you, sushi NAKATA team!

Lunch menu for the win, sushi chef is Japanese so feels like legit sushi place in Monrovia. $28 for that nigiri or charashi bowl and it comes with a side salad and miso soup I feel the nigiri is the same price but a better deal as you get a choice of roll. The best fish was the red snapper it just melts in your mouth. Other pieces of fish were just as fresh and delicious too. A couple ordered live lobster sashimi and the chef dismembered it so fast that the antennas and legs on the head part were still moving when plated. You can get lobster sashimi as long as you pre-order ahead of time.

Introduction: - Hidden in the corner of Old Town Monrovia by Basin 141 - Came here with my cousin for lunch. We were craving some fish! Pros: - The Nigiri was extremely fresh and fatty. It was delicious! - Provides you an array of sets to give you an opportunity to try out all different types of fish. - Servers were extremely attentive. - Small space, but provides a nice warm cozy environment. Conclusion: - This place is a sushi gem of Monrovia. Serving quality at its finest compared to the sushi restaurants down the street. Highly recommend to try out.

Literally the best sushi spot in the area for great quality fish. My significant other and I have gone here three times so far and everything we ordered was amazing. Servers are very helpful and patient in us choosing because it was my mother in law's first time and she normally doesn't eat sushi. We got her a veggie roll, chicken karaage, and cucumber salad and she loved it. We loved starting with the spicy tuna crispy rice as well. We get that every time here plus the Negitoro hand roll to end our meal. We've gotten the omakase which was delightfully flavorful. We also love the salmon avocado roll, salmon truffle roll, and another roll called the lemon roll with tuna and ponzu. Everything here is fresh and delicious. FYI there is no bento bowls or teriyaki bowls. Just fresh clean sushi. We can't wait to come back again.

Service and food were top notch. Expect a longer wait time during dinner service as there's only 2 sushi chefs. Limited seating. Very cute decor and makes you feel right at home.

My husband and I love sneaking over to Sushi Nakata for a date night. We always end up indulging before I can take pictures but this last time I snuck in a few. Service is always pleasant. The place is small but worth the squeeze. Take a look at some of our favoritepicks.

This is a regular sushi place for me. I am very picky when it comes to sushi. I normally like sashimi but was in the mood for sushi. This place is normally packed and when I went by there was no one there. 30 minutes later all the tables were taken. The service is spot on, very attentive waitresses and sushi chef. The place is very small on the inside but they have outdoor tables and about 8 chairs at the sushi bar. If you are in the area I highly recommend that you make a reservation as it is always busy.

This spot was really cute! We came awhile ago so this review was long overdue. I think this place can seat 8-12 people **total** inside (some bar seating and 2-3 tables for parties of 2). I believe there is also outdoor seating for parties of 2-4)! Small restaurant, but homely kind of feeling. I really enjoyed the little knick knacks and decor they had. Service was great, quick and attentive! We came in for lunch and it seemed like regulars frequented this spot. The main reason why I wanted to try this place was because of the Suntory Malts :,). I thoroughly craved a good Suntory Malt and it's not a beer you can get in a can or at any sushi spot. So when I saw this place had it + great sushi reviews, I wanted yo go forsure! We ordered 2 nigiri sets and the fish was very fresh! One of the pieces had uni and it was very fresh!! I normally do not order uni because it can be really musky and briny at okay sushi spots, but def fresh here! The other highlights of the set were the tuna and toro! I also love the bit of yuzu kosho/ yuzu pepper paste that some of these nigiri had. The handroll at the end were a nice way to end the set too! Be sure to eat it quickly before the seaweed gets too soft.

A hidden gem in Old Town Monrovia -- this sushi spot is probably the best sushi joint in this neighborhood. The quality is superior to some of the other places, but this definitely makes it a bit more expensive. It's a very small sushi restaurant, with only about six spots by the sushi chef and eight other spots inside, so reservations are highly recommended. My favorite sushi was the monkfish liver, which in all honesty I was a bit surprised that I was going t This is a treat yo' self kinda sushi joint, where it'll be a bit more expensive, but it won't necessarily break the bank.

This is a tiny restaurant located on a side street in downtown Monrovia. Although small in space, the food speaks volumes. We ordered the fresh shrimp sashimi, salmon sashimi and albacore sashimi. The fresh salmon sashimi was my favorite out of the three. It tasted fatty, smooth and scrumptious, and the price was reasonable. We also ordered the Lime Roll and the Nigitoro cut roll and they both had great flavors but not overpowering to a point where you can't taste the freshness of the fish. The savory egg custard was just alright. The texture could have been more smooth. Service was excellent and since we were celebrating a birthday, we got a complimentary birthday dessert (Ube cake with Mochi). If you live in the area and don't want to drive too far, this is a great spot for fresh sushi!

I love coming to Sushi Nakata for their lunch specials! I've tried 3 of their lunch sets - the Regular Nigiri (8pc and 1 hand roll), Regular Chirashi bowl, and their 4 Hand Roll Set. All three are $28 or under and well worth the price. My favorite out of the three was the nigiri as there is a good variety of different fish, plus it comes with a California or Spicy Tuna Handroll as well. All their sets come with a yummy starters of a bowl of miso soup and a salad with ginger sauce. I love that the fish here is always fresh and great quality. Everything is delicious and their service is quick. The restaurant is super small with only 2 tables inside and a few spots at the bar, but they also have a few outdoor tables as well. Lots of street parking and free public lots in downtown Monrovia just a short walk away. Will be back soon for my sushi fix!

Updated review - we've been loyal customers of Sushi Nakata for years (going there on a regular basis since it opened and have brought friends and family along the way). Although the fish and quality of the meals are still exceptional, I have to agree with another comment I came across on Yelp. The chef was incredibly rude to us last week. I brought my family for omakase lunch and as we were about to ask the chef a question he quickly interrupted with a "WAIT!!" Did not once acknowledge us or explain what he was serving us (we sat at the bar). We asked about an alternate option for one of the dishes, to which he replied "NO!" I have to specify, this is not the original Chef we absolutely love and have been supporting but the older gentleman who's been around for a couple years now. Disappointing to see customer service declining ...

Great little sushi spot in Monrovia! They have lunch specials. It's a little restaurant; two tables inside plus 7 spots at the bar. There are tables outside as well. There is free street parking as well as more spaces in the city lots in the about 1 block away from the main Myrtle st strip. Ask the server for the specials as well.

4.5/5 Food was delicious, service was great, and the ambiance is authentic and calm. The one I didn't get a clear picture of was the Lime Roll. Absolutely delicious! I love sushi and trying out different places. We came here 8:00 on a Thursday for 2. Wasn't so busy that you needed a reservation, but there were a few groups eating. We got the house wine but didn't get charged for a refill. Not sure if intentional or not but I won't complain! The sushi was overall pretty good. I thought the rice was like an 8/10. The yellowtail was really good. They don't cheap out on the portions of seafood they provide. Their quality is also pretty good. The sweet shrimp was mildly sweet, but it didn't wow me. It comes with shrimp head too, those were pretty good actually. You're supposed the eat the whole thing, that was new for me! The place is great. It seems like they expanded for more seating next door? Great intimate date spot or even just for grabbing dinner w family and friends. Meal was about $100 for 2. Minus the sweet shrimp, could be a little cheaper. But that's okay, just about average price for good sushi nowadays! Plenty of street parking along the Main Street. The Google maps location is slightly off. It's around the corner, not directly on the Main Street.

The food here is amazing! I've been coming here since I was in middle school. Which was 15 years ago, so this place has been here for a long time. My boyfriend and I love coming here during lunch for the specials. The best thing is the fish is super fresh . The customer service is always top tier and the owner is super nice. They just purchased the other building next door so now there is more tables to be available soon.

Quality food. Fresh tasting fish Great lunch specials. Sweet, kind service. I will be back! :)

I love this spot. It's an old town Monrovia special hidden gem in the alley. Compared to the other sushi spot down the street, Nakata is my preferred spot because they specialize in authentic Japanese sashimi over rolls.

,Just an update. The variety of fish and preparations the past two years has steadily declined. Still a solid neighborhood spot, but just lacking the wow factor it used to have.

Horrible Customer Service! Very rude sushi Chef!!, his name is Odon. We sat down at the sushi bar with my family, wife and kids. After a few minutes i asked the main chef what he recommends and he was very rude, he said "Wait! Give me a few minutes". We waited patiently like 10 minutes, and still no interaction from the chef. Then the waitress gave the chef a different order from a table behind us and he made it and still was ignoring us and we were their first. It was very unprofessional. The chef seemed angry, Will NEVER Come back!! Don't waste your time, Trust me go somewhere else !!!

When I dined in on 12/16/23 for lunch, we ordered the Lime Roll, among other things. The albacore on top of was not fresh. It was mushy. The service was good, but the chef on Saturday, December 16, 2023 for lunch that day served us mushy albacore on top of the Lime Roll. The nigiri lunch we ordered was fine but this was not fine.

Man we've passed by Sushi Nakata a bunch of times but on a cold night in late November we finally stopped in. WOW. The sushi and sashimi was fresh and delicious, the service first-rate and friendly, and the space snallish and warm and cozy. Another reviewer noted this is one of the best sushi spots in the SGV, and I concur, though I'd extend those geographic boundaries--this is one of the best sushi restaurants on the entire east side of LA. We'll be back soon for sure!

This is one of the better sushi spots in the San Gabriel Valley. There are a few sushi spots in the area, but they are not truly authentic. Sushi Nakata has wonderful quality and the sushi is legit! If you're looking for quality, this is the spot to go to! They have this June special for $65 which was a great deal for the quality and the servings I got. Great job, Sushi Nakata!

Came here for lunch. I ordered the unagi don and it was good. The service was fast and nice too. Will be back!

Love Sushi Nakata! Right now it's my favorite place to get sushi. The sushi is always fresh and tastes great! Been going for a few years now and the quality has remained the same, even after the pandemic.

The chef and sous chef here are great guys. Sitting at the sushi bar is the treat. They banter alone is worth the price of admission. Omekaze is the way to go. Love sushi surprises. Suntory premium beer on tap. It's better than Sapporo or Asahi. This cozy sushi is not to be missed.

It was good but I've definitely had better. I thought it was a bit overpriced for the amount of food we got. I would try again for their lunch menu.

Been wanting to try this place based on Yelp Ratings and never could eat early enough to make it before closing at 2pm; but finally made it on this fine sunny WFH Friday with hubby. Let's just say that whenever we crave/think sushi we both look at each other and shout Sugar Fish; however; it was a huge disappointment hence brought us searching for a new "go to" replacement and this is comparatively better for price, taste, quality. We both ordered the Premium Sushi Set and happy we did coz Toro and Uni that you don't get at SF. Perhaps what would make it 5 stars would be if chef would serve like Omakase style (which is really similar) 1 by 1 for those sitting at the bar. Highly recommend and will be back again.

Tucked on the side of Downtown Monrovia is a small little Japanese Sushi restaurant that I adored. It is a small place, but has that Japan feel. I came here first for the good reviews of fresh sushi, but it ended up being more than that. Missing Japan, I miss the culture and this place gave you a small feel of that from the atmosphere, freshness of the wasabi, rice and fish, several small dishes and the very courteous waitress. Ordered the chirashi lunch special and a California roll. Both were so fresh! One of freshest I have tasted in the SGV area. The lunch special also came with miso soup and salad, which tasted sooo good. The miso soup is the best I have had in SGV as it wasn't too salty and just tasted perfect. On top of it, I loved the outdoor dining as it had a heated lamp. It was a lovely ambience and the waitress treated us with such care. I plan to come here again here again for any date. Since it is in downtown Monrovia, you can take a walk here afterwards and enjoy some tea, coffee or dessert somewhere. Parking is easy as there is a free parking lot northeast of the restaurant and there is street parking as well.

Sushi Nakata is located in Old Town Monrovia near the movie theater. It's a really small restaurant and pretty popular. I came here with my girlfriends to catch up and we were seated right away because we had reservations. There was quite a bit of wait for others waiting because the food is really good. There are a lot of varieties for their appetizers, pasta/noodles, and sushi. The sushi we ordered were all fresh and tasted amazing. On the alcohol side there was a variety of sake, beer, and wine. We sat outside even though it was cold but there was a heat lamp right above our table which was nice. The price is a little on the higher side but it's worth it because the fish was fresh and the services was good. Definitely check this place out if you ever are craving some sushi.

!!! So glad we tried out sushi nakata :) Food: -nigiri set: so good! The rice to fish ratio was good and the quality of the fish was so fresh and delicious! The handrail milk is also cut into 2 pieces which is nice! -chirashi bowl: soooo worth it! Well i do love delicious rice!! But the fish was fresh, ample, and a good array of delicious fish!! Also the wasabi was so good! -hot sake: worth it Service: -very prompt, attentive, kind! Making a reservation was so easy and following it up was as well. It gets packed pretty quickly but the service is so consistent! Overall: Worth it! I personally don't have the fanciest palette for sushi but i would def come back for a chirashi bowl and hot sake : )

This location has expanded. The sushi used to be better. I don't know how much is the sushi chef and how much is what they have. The last couple times, it seems people get better looking sushi based on whether the chef likes you. I prefer the La Canada location even though they don't have a liquor license yet.

A hidden gem tucked in downtown Monrovia. Their lunch special is a great deal! It comes with soup and salad too. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. It's a small shop but there was no wait during Sunday lunch. The service was quick and friendly as well. Highly recommend it! There were lots of street parking and free parking lot down the street.

Sushi Nakata is tiny, so if you have a large party, you can only sit at their outside tables. We came on a Friday and it was quite busy. They only had 2 servers and service was okay for how busy it was. Food was decent but more expensive than I was expecting and all of us still went home hungry. ): Overall it was decent and food is good quality.

Our favorite place for good quality sushi we've been there multiple time and always love! Small restaurant so we always call for reservation.

Tucked in Downtown Monrovia, this small restaurant has really fresh sushi! We visited on a recent Saturday for lunch. Inside has maybe 3-4 seats at the sushi bar, 3 small tables, and a couple tables outdoors were its pet friendly. I got the salmon don and it was fresh and delicious. It comes with miso soup and the best tasting salad dressing I've ever had. We also shared the lime roll, scallops sushi, ono sushi, albacore sushi and miso cod. The roll was only okay, and I definitely preferred the sushi. The miso cod was tender and soft, I felt very healthy eating all the delicious fish. Our waiter was super friendly and nice, it made for a great lunch experience!

Reservation highly recommended. It's a tiny location, 6 bar seating, 3 tables inside kind of intimate and cute setting. There's also outdoor (sidewalk) seating, but personally think indoor seating is better for the overall experience. We ordered almost all of the today's specials. It was absolutely delicious. Presentation was on point. Not overly drown with sauce. Fish and rice ratio beautifully together. Recommended: Skip Jack Tai Snapper Japan x2 Black Gnome fish x2 Bluefin Toro Oyster (pacific): medium/large, ponzu and masago/scallions dressing - we added wasabi to it (clean mild taste.. it's was so good) x2 Sea Eel Ono Escolar Hot Tea: subtle matcha taste Wasabi Towards the end of our meal, some of the other nigiris that we wanted to try or the oysters that we wanted to order more of ran out. It was sadness for my tummy. The service was wonderful, even with just two waitresses at the front and a consistently full booking. The ladies were very nice and not rushed in taking our orders again and again. They were very apologetic about the items that ran out and our last order of black gnome fish came out a bit late. It was very sweet of them to comp us an appetizer, we were told that its a whitefish, the meat from the bones area. It was really good, wish I had asked for the name. Definitely will go again. To eat and drink next time, they have a lot sake options. Plenty of free parking everywhere.

Love this place. Fish always so fresh. Never a disappointment. Definitely one of favorite!

Not a good experience and the owner didn't do anything about it... I ordered the $250 Holiday Bento Box and ate a fish bone in my nigiri, I immediately send a message to the restaurant, an hour later, someone replied "I will go ahead and inform it to the chef." That's it! Nothing was done! I didn't get a call asking if I was okay? if I swallow the fish bone? Nope! Nothing! Terrible customer service! Note on the $250 Holiday Bento Box, don't get fooled by their photo, the fish is super thin and the rice is so BIG, the fried sweet shrimp heads have greasy smells. Will never order it again!

I have been a regular patron at Sushi Nakata for 3+ yrs. They say "hole in the wall", yes it is that. But I say this with the upmost respect. I visit Japan frequently and my favorite sushi places are the local "hole in the wall" just like Sushi Nakata. 5 star does not make it justice. I give it 10 stars.