Chef Gen Mizoguchi revolutionized sushi in Las Vegas when he opened Kabuto on Spring Mountain Road in 2012. Not only was Kabuto’s traditional Tokyo-style edomae exquisitely prepared and served, Mizoguchi used rare fish flown in daily from Japan and delivered a complete package of cuisine, service and atmosphere for a considerably lower price than what’s available in Strip casino restaurants. Last fall, after leaving Kabuto, the affable sushi master opened Yui Edomae Sushi just a few blocks east. Everything he did at Kabuto is only intensified here: the same unbelievably pristine cuts of fish; the same extravagant yet simple menu; the same small, minimalist setting; the same omotenashi service, translating loosely to “the spirit of selfless hospitality.” At Yui, Mizoguchi is pushing the experience to its limits, and that includes the addition of an ultimate, upgraded omakase menu ($160) along with the signature eight-course offering ($120) and nigiri-based tasting menu ($68). If you’re into this kinda stuff—if you’re obsessed with the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, for example—the most expensive menu is a must.

It begins with an icy shot of sake Mizoguchi makes himself, aged 13 months. An assortment of tiny bites follows, pickled vegetables and morsels of abalone and tender okra topped with bonito and, on my visit, a tiny crab eaten whole for an exhilaratingly odd, crunchy-briny blast. Then, a simple, blissful soup, perhaps a few chewy cherrystone clams in kombu broth. The sashimi course offers five varieties of raw perfection like fatty and lean cuts of Spanish mackerel, baby eel, A5 Wagyu beef from Japan and an oyster from Seattle. A small hot plate of grilled items arrives, more decadent A5 plus some of that mackerel, cooked, and some bluefin tuna cheek. The parade of nigiri begins after that, 10 pieces of premium fish fashioned before your eyes on expertly vinegared rice the Yui crew shaves off every day for perfect texture. “That’s my favorite fish of all-time,” Mizoguchi says as he drops a slab of nodoguro, blackthroat sea perch, in front of me, but he has other favorites, like the long-finned bullseye.

These are fish we’ve never heard of, let alone tasted, but it’s more about texture. From that crazy crab to these glistening tiles of marinated tuna to the sweet egg omelette (gyoku) that wraps up this course, the variation is artful and astounding. There’s a hand roll, a robata-grilled botan shrimp head and dessert—matcha green tea pudding—before I finish my most memorable meal of the year so far and leave feeling happy, healthy and accomplished. And lighter, by more than $200, for dinner for one. Therein lies the rub of freshly-grated-on-sharkskin wasabi. Kabuto, by most accounts as stellar as ever, offers menu options of $48, $80 and $120, along with some à la carte possibilities. If you seek out a similar—not the same, but close—experience at the Strip’s finest sushi houses, it’ll hit you in the wallet about as hard as Yui. The thing that sets it apart is Mizoguchi, who lives and breathes sushi and service. It’s not his job, it’s his purpose and passion. If you’re into this kinda stuff, it’s worth it.

But if you want the meal I had, go early and make sure you sit at the bar. Yui Edomae Sushi 3460 Arville St. #HS, 702-202-2408. Sushi chef Daisuke Nakazawa of Sushi Nakazawa serves some of Manhattan's most perfect fish.To the joy of New York’s omakase diners, an 11-year mentee of Tokyo’s Jiro Ono—yes, the Jiro of the beautifully shot documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi—is the chef behind the bar at Sushi Nakazawa, opening August 19th. Daisuke Nakazawa was senior apprentice to the 85-year-old sushi master, who owns the 10-seat, three-Michelin-starred omakase restaurant in the film. samurai sushi menu brooklynThe bar at Sushi Nakazawa, owned by Maurizio de Rosa and Alessandro Borgognone, will also seat a lucky 10 until September, when the restaurant’s full dining room opens. jiro dreams of sushi direct download

Below, we round up a few more sushi restaurants with very limited capacities. The restaurant: Sushi Nakazawa, 23 Commerce Street, 212-924-2212Total seats: 10Chef at the helm: Daisuke Nakazawa of Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo and Shiro’s in SeattleWhat to know: Nakazawa will serve omakase tastings paired with sake. Reservations are for parties of two max, and a full dining room at the restaurant opens in September. The restaurant: Tanoshi, 1372 York Avenue, 646-727-9056Total seats: 10Chef at the helm: Toshio Oguma of Morimoto in New York and NapaWhat to know: The restaurant serves three rounds per day at 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. youda sushi chef 2 full version free downloadThe chef’s specialty is “loosey sushi,” intended to dissolve upon eating. genki sushi menu maui

(Also, eat with your fingers.) The restaurant: Ichimura at Brushstroke, 163 Duane Street, 212-791-3771Total seats: 12Chef at the helm: Eiji Ichimura of New York’s IchimuraWhat to know: David Bouley redesigned his bar at Brushstroke to showcase chef Ichimura’s expertise to glowing reviews. Omakase menus start at $160. The restaurant: Sushi Ko, 91 Clinton Street, 917-734-5857Total seats: 11Chef at the helm: John Daley of Masa and 15 EastWhat to know: The Lower East Side restaurant serves omakase offerings in three courses ($75), five courses ($125) and seven courses ($175), or full omakase ($200).can buy sushi ebt The restaurant: Nowaza Bar, 212 North Cañon DriveTotal seats: 10Chef at the helm: Osamu Fujita of Marssa Restaurant in Las Vegas (also a friend and mentee of sushi master Kazunori Nozawa)What to know: Reservation-only seatings are $150 per person Monday through Saturday at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.jiro dreams of sushi film wiki

The restaurant: Urasawa, 218 N Rodeo Drive, 310-247-8939Total seats: 10Chef at the helm: Hiroyuki UrasawaWhat to know: In 2011, Urasawa was ranked the number-two most expensive restaurant in the U.S. (after Masa in New York). The average bill is said to be $1,111. The restaurant: Tekka, 537 Balboa Street, 415-221-8455Total seats: 11What to know: Unlike most of its limited-capacity counterparts, this restaurant doesn’t take reservations. Seating times are 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.yo sushi takeaway aberdeen The restaurant: Kinchan Sushi, 500 Ala Moana Blvd, 808-534-0088Total seats: 12What to know: A local hotspot, the Restaurant Row sushi bar offers a 10-course omakase menu. The restaurant: Sushi Tetsu, 12 Jerusalem Passage, +44 20 3217 0090Total seats: 7Chef at the helm: Toru Takahashi of NobuWhat to know: The chef’s wife Harumi runs front of house. Eat a la carte or opt for the full omakase.