Best Japanese Restaurant

Casual but stylish, with sleek furnishings and moody lighting, Yasu Sushi Bistro reminds us of modern izakaya in Japan, where top-notch eats and premium sake are served with an extra helping of hipness. We love to snag a seat at the tiny sushi bar and let chef-owner Yasu Hashino guide us through plate after plate of delicacies, from plump, briny Kumamoto oysters to silky mackerel to rich, fatty toro. But beyond the stellar sushi and sashimi, the robatayaki offerings, grilled over aromatic binchotan oak charcoal, are just as craveworthy. Homemade chicken meatballs called tsukune and bacon-wrapped scallops are a couple of favorites; on days we feel like splurging, buttery wagyu beef is worth every expensive bite. There are plenty of sushi restaurants around town that get the job done when we're craving a quick fix, but none of them really satisfies our jones for an authentic Japanese dining experience like Yasu Sushi Bistro.