Las Vegas may be in the desert, but it serves some of the best seafood, flown in from all over the world. How better to showcase it than at these Japanese spots.
Yellowtail
Photo Credit: MGM Resorts International
Chef Akira Beck’s first restaurant was a hit success – celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake flock to the Bellagio hot spot, which has several signature dishes known city-wide. Its truffled tuna “pizza” is so popular that it could probably keep the store in business by itself, but people love his inventive “pop rocks” roll, too. But his creative dishes aren’t the only ones that shine – he makes a crab hand roll that’s lick-your-lips delicious, as well as lobster carpaccio, beef tataki, and yellowtail serrano with blood orange sauce. 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 693-8300 yellowtaillasvegas.com
Blue Ribbon
The menu at Cosmopolitan’s Blue Ribbon, the first in a family-run business outside of NYC, ranges from the best sushi to its famous fried chicken. Cozy up to the sushi bar for an omakase “chef’s choice” evening for the books. Each course is prettier than the last, with colorful flowers and other decor showing off melt-in-your-mouth fish. Or order a la carte favorites such as beef marrow bones, amberjack with yuzu, and oxtail fried rice, plus maki and vegetable rolls, pieces of fish from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and Hakozushi box sushi. 3708 South Las Vegas Boulevard, (702) 736-0808 blueribbonrestaurants.com
Kabuto
A traditional sushi house straight from Japan (in Vegas’s popular Chinatown), tiny Kabuto is impressive for both amateurs and diehards. Every meal is chef’s choice, so come hungry for the very freshest sashimi and nigiri. Since the sushi is strict Edomae style from the area around Tokyo Bay, the restaurant serves no maki rolls, or pressed sushi, which is from western Japan near Osaka. 5040 West Spring Mountain Road, (702) 676-1044 kabutolv.com
Nobu
An embarrassment of riches: the world-famous Nobu now has two locations on the Strip, within two miles of each other. The Hard Rock Hotel outpost, once practically flooded with celebrities, is still a favorite of locals, who are rewarded with a six-course locals-only tasting menu option, which includes yellowtail with jalapeno, sushi, and black miso cod. The newer one is located inside the first-ever Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace, which has the decadent option of serving your Nobu favorites via room service. Don’t miss the spicy fish tiradito, chef Nobu’s nod to Peru, where he lived for many years.4455 Paradise Road, (702) 693-5090 and 3570 South Las Vegas Boulevard, (702) 785-6628 noburestaurants.com
Kumi
Photo Courtesy of The Light Group
The second Vegas restaurant from beloved local celebrity Akira Back, Mandalay Bay’s Kumi uses more of his Korean heritage on the menu than he’s used in the past. For example, his Fireball roll has crab and cucumber, and is topped with kimchee. An ex pro snowboarder, Back also wanted to give a nod to Colorado, where he lived for many years, which he did with his Colorado Lamp Chops, served with edamame couscous and anticucho sauce, which is (of course) Korean. 3950 South Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 632-9100 kumilasvegas.com
Katsuya
The pairing of savory sushi dishes and sexy, cutting-edge design by Philippe Starck go together just as well for Las Vegas’ new Katusya as it does in the Hollywood original. With an atmosphere and vibe that oozes cool, Katsuya is rapidly becoming the new “it” sushi spot to see and be seen. Nosh on fresh yellowtail sashimi, Lobster Dynamite, Japanese octopus carpaccio and Wagyu rib-eye topped with truffle butter, all washed down with a watermelon cucumber mojito. 2535 South Las Vegas Blvd., (855) 761-7757 katsuyarestaurant.com
Mizumi
Wynn’s eleborate answer to Japanese cuisine, Mizumi boasts teppanyaki, robatayki, and sushi. There’s a Pagoda chef’s table outside overlooking the enormous koi pond, and the main dining room offers stunning views of the private waterfall. Highlights include duck bimbimbap, lobster beignets, Wagyu short ribs, and beef tartare tacos. For dessert, reach for the cherry shaved ice for something light, or the rich chocolate mask served with creamy hazelnut meringue and chocolate mousse. 3131 South Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 770-3320 wynnlasvegas.com
Raku
You know the food’s good when it’s the spot for Strip chefs to kick back with a cold beer and a late dinner after work. Open until 3 am, Chinatown’s Raku stays packed until about then (it seats only 30, so make a reservation), serving up delectable small dishes like homemade tofu with green tea salt, fried blowfish, and chili-encrusted asparagus. Diehards swear by the food here, and the most common order is an omakase chef’s choice. 5030 Spring Mountain Rd., (702) 367-3511 raku-grill.com
Yonaka
Known around town as Raku’s newest competition, Yonaka has an extensive menu of delicious dishes, plus happy hour and reverse (after 11 pm) happy hour specials. Yonaka kicks off a great meal with baby octopus in ink sauce, sea bass crudo with candied quinoa, and albacore with plaintain chips, before getting hot plates like sake-steamed clams and grilled mackerel, plus an array of sashimi and maki rolls.4983 West Flamingo Road, (702) 685-8358 yonakajapaneserestaurant.com
Sushi Roku
Photo Courtesy of Sushi Roku
In a town known for dinner, Sushi Roku is open for lunch (with an abbreviated menu), too, although at night, its amazing views of the Strip are really spectacular. There’s a valet on that side of Forum Shops, so a long walk in the great mall can be avoided. Order a bunch of dishes to share, from the octopus, sea bream, and fluke sashimi items to start, to beef entrees such as traditional beef sukiyaki and Asian BBQ short ribs, and seafood specialties like whole sea bass and popcorn shrimp with spicy sauce. 3500 South Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 733-7373 innovativedining.com
Do you have a goto Sushi spot in Vegas? Let us know by joining in the discussion below.
