Sushi Hayakawa

Hayakawa is perhaps the closest representation of how Atlanta has transformed and matured over the years. From a low key and highly respectable strip mall establishment on Buford Highway for many years to what is likely the most expensive restaurant in the city. The incredible thing is that now, there is a clear market for such dining and the reservations are difficult to come by. For those living in the area for extended periods of time, that transformation of taste, market and willingness to splurge is both exciting and foreign. And on the note of splurging, it is absolutely no small feat to spend over $1200 here with some sake and wine to go along with the meal.With all that noted, Hayakawa is perhaps the closest thing in the city to dining at a similar establishment in Japan. It is highly personal, intimate and educational. The interactions with chef Atsushi "Art" Hayakawa are engaging throughout the dining experience. Explanations and stories of home provided by Monet provoke appetizing curiosity, whether discussing sake or wasabi. There is really no reason to dive into discussion of individual fish cuts, as they do vary, but one can be sure of their quality and elegance. There is no cutting corners and the fish slices served are very proportional to all other ingredients, most notably rice. Coming here is a lot more of a show than just a dinner and Chef Hayakawa delivers.Being a still new establishment, there are a few things that can still be noted to continue improvement, or Kaizen as known in Japan. The fact that there is no private restroom to the restaurant is a major inconvenience, as the building's restrooms are already quite dirty, despite lack of many tenants. It could also be a good touch to leave guests with a parting gift bag with a small item or even a dessert. The shibori napkin was given for guests to keep, yet since it was used throughout dinner, walking around with a dirty napkin after dinner seems a bit odd. While I cannot comment on the aspect of tradition here, it would be nice to get a new clean shibori to keep alongside some desserts and leave the one from dinner to be washed.Putting continuous improvement ideas aside, Hayakawa is already a remarkable place, has an incredibly unique vibe of being in Chef's home and creates an fun dining experience that sets an incredibly high standard.

Truly an exceptional and splendid dining experience! It's so refreshing as someone who has decision fatigue to show up to the restaurant and be fed food that activates all the fun parts of my brain. Their beverage selection is small but well-curated and matches perfectly with the food. They offer sake, white wine, beer, and a few non-alcoholic options. I loved the directions provided for how to eat certain courses; there's a method to the madness. You can taste the love and experience in the food which just makes it that much more enjoyable. Service was spot on and the atmosphere looked sophisticated but felt very relaxing. Will definitely come back for another special occasion. Some logistics info: there is a parking garage in the Star Metals building. Just follow the signs; the visitor entrance is kind of tucked away. There's also a video on their website showing you what it looks like to find the lot from the street. The restaurant will validate parking so make sure to bring your parking ticket with you to dinner. No bathrooms inside the actual restaurant so make sure you go to the bathrooms across the hallway beforehand to avoid interruptions to your dining experience. Oh and there are bag hooks under the counter at your seat; love this little practical detail!

Definitely an experience that needed to be had personally. Everything was top notch and flag this place has a much deserved Michelin star!

An absolutely AMAZING experience! Haya San is so entertaining and passionate about his work and his food. He was sociable throughout the meal, taking pictures of us to send to us, offering his instagram for people who want to reach out for recommendations on other good Japanese food options in other major states. The staff was more than accommodating and was very attentive to our every need. They offered to store our jackets at the beginning of the meal, and at one point during the meal, I must have looked cold because one of the servers offered to retrieve my jacket for me . At the end of my meal, they had beautifully folded my jacket for me to take as I left. The food was incredible and each course was well thought out, sourced from amazing vendors (who Haya San says he visits yearly), and just absolutely delicious. The Uni was an optional addition but worth it. It was very fresh, buttery, and rich! If you're a fan of Uni, I would definitely recommend trying this. The courses from the appetizer to the dessert were amazing - filling and fresh! At the beginning of the meal, we were given a drink menu and many recommendations for the sake based on our preferences. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the sake I drank at Hayakawa was the best I've ever had. They also served us green tea throughout our meal and the servers were very attentive, filling our water and tea cups throughout the meal. I would HIGHLY recommend this place for anyone who wants an amazing, although pricey, omakase experience. Make sure to keep an eye on reservations because they fill up a month before!

We had only one Omakase before when we lived in London. Haya San and his team really outdid themselves and this Omakase was our favorite one... Because Haya San talks and explains every course whilst he's preparing it. We were celebrating a birthday and ordered the Saki pairing with as well. The service, food and ambiance are out of this world! Easy to park with validation too!We tried things that we have never had before and each and every course was better than the next! My favorite course was the Munk Fish and I tried Uni for the very first time - Delicious!We will be back!

I've eaten here three times- once at the old location and twice at the current location. My most recent visit was after Haya San won the Michelin Star. I won't go too much into detail, since the menu changes quite often, other than to say you will be happy and full by the end of your visit. The food is impeccable and the two hour experience flies by as he effortlessly prepares one beautifully delectable dish after another all while sparking conversation with you with his jovial demeanor. I cannot recommend this place enough. Perhaps my favorite dining experience ever.

This is clearly a 5 star omakase experience, but be prepared to pay high dollar. The ingredients and detail though make the overall experience incredible. I definitely miss the Buford highway location... but also happy for Haya San killing it in midtown now. Marinaded toro and the Uni were the highlights of our dinner. The Hokkaido scallops were so good, I could have eaten them totally stand-alone with no other ingredients. The setting feels more serious than the Buford location, but also a model of many high end sushi restaurants in Japan. And the service was top notch, never needed to look for a server once.

Best omakase in Atlanta. Traditional Japanese sushi with good nigiri skill. Nice service with reasonable price.

First of all, the service is excellent. We were there on a cold night in Atlanta and they checked our coats right when we were seated. The service is elaborate for a sushi restaurant and reminded me of e by Jose Andres in Vegas. My only minor complaint are the rules/strong guidance related to how to eat some of the dishes.With regard to the food, let me start by saying that I do not have a fine palate for high-end sushi. I have eaten at Nobu (Buckhead), Sushi Yoshida (NYC), and Morimoto (multiple locations) but that's about it for high-end sushi. In Atlanta, I like Fudo the best. So, with that being said, I found the sushi rice to be too soft. The fish was all impeccably fresh and meticulously prepared and seasoned. The shari was just not to my liking.Regarding the other food, my Japanese-American mother used the term "Japanese taste" to describe some Japanese food. Growing up, I mostly had food cooked by Japanese-American women, most of whose parents had immigrated from Hiroshima or Fukuoka. The Japanese-American food I ate growing up had also been adapted to ingredients available in the US at that time (70s and 80s) and to US tastes. To me, "Japanese-taste" is heavy umami, katsuobushi, and seafood like clam. Curiously, not all modern Japanese food in Japan has this "Japanese-taste. To me, Haya-San's cooked food is heavy on the "Japanese-taste." This was most evident in the suimono that Haya-San calls sumashi (light soup) and the udon. Our favorite dish was probably the buri. Haya-San had expertly seasoned it with yuzu, yuzu-kosho, and garnished with sea grapes. Of the sushi, I liked the hotate best. Haya-San sauces with (I think shoyu/butter) and torches it. I suspect the sauce is more than soy/butter but that's the best I can do to describe. Superb dishes.Arigato gozaimasu Haya-San

Hayakawa was the best eating experience of my life. The wasabi crunch salmon sashimi literally made shed a tear! Worth every penny.