Enjoying unique Japanese cuisine is one of the most sought-after activities in Las Vegas, apart from gambling, of course. When it comes to Japanese restaurants and Asian food in general, there are few places in the city that are as good as Kabuto Las Vegas.

Kabuto attracts a crowd of sushi and sake fanatics, although it offers a lot of other traditional Japanese dishes and drinks as well. The restaurant has a very private feel to it and a quiet vibe with only a couple of dozen seats. It is located on W. Spring Mountain Road in Seoul Plaza.

There are many reasons why you should visit Kabuto Las Vegas, but we feel there are three main things that stand out in this gorgeous Japanese restaurant.

Best Sushi in Town

Kabuto employs top-notch chefs and serves only the best fresh fish flown in directly from Tokyo bay. Attentive and friendly service will help you with the menu and suggest some dishes if you’re new to Japanese cuisine. But there are really no wrong choices — everything is very tasty.

Very Private Vibe

Kabuto Las Vegas is one of the smallest popular restaurants in the city, although that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A compact yet elegantly designed space like this creates a peaceful atmosphere and makes the restaurant ideal for bringing a date or trying to impress a business associate. However, due to very limited seating, it is advised that you make a reservation on time, as a lot of people have already heard about Kabuto.

Huge Selection of Sake

Traditional Japanese food goes very well with some strong Japanese drinks. Kabuto has two drink menus with over 20 different kinds of sake. You can order all sorts of brands and have them served in 4oz or 8oz glasses. Of course, you can also order whole bottles that come in 10oz or 24oz sizes. Apart from sake, Kabuto Las Vegas has a modest selection of white and red wine, beer, and soft drinks.

Japanese food gourmands already know what to order when they enter Kabuto Las Vegas, but if you’re only beginning to learn about Japan’s cuisine, you will need some help with the menu.

The first thing you’ll notice are three Omakase menus that represent the main chef’s choice. The basic Nigiri menu includes nigiri, a hand-roll, amuse, aperitif sake, and some dessert. The extension of this option is the Yoroi that adds a sashimi platter, grill platter, and miso soup on top of the dishes you will get with Nigiri. Finally, there’s Kabuto that adds five kinds of sashimi platters and another five varieties of grill platters.

To ensure the freshness and quality of their sushi, Kabuto’s menu gets changed every single day, while seasonality also plays a huge role.

Since Kabuto Las Vegas is a Japanese restaurant, it should come as no surprise that the selection of sake is rather impressive. There are more than two dozen different sake brands on the menu. You can try everything from light and fruity Dassai 50 to crisp and dry Kirinzan. You can order full bottles or try each kind in small or medium-sized glasses.

The chefs at Kabuto take great care when pairing drinks and food, which is why they will always be ready to offer you sake brands that go well with certain dishes.

Many of Kabuto’s customers like sake, but there are a lot of those who want to taste something lighter. That’s why Kabuto has several high-quality white and red wines as well. The wine selection includes German riesling, French chardonnay, and a couple of sauvignons and pinots from Napa Valley. There’s also the Collet Brut champagne for celebratory occasions.

There are several tasty Japanese beers like Asahi Draft, Sapporo, and Sapporo Light. Among soft drinks, you can select cola, apple juice, or organic green tea.

Kabuto is not like other popular restaurants and diners in Las Vegas. This place is rather small when put into the perspective of the city’s glamorous and spacious style. The restaurant’s seats only run in double digits, and you can only get a seat if you make a reservation.

Nevertheless, Kabuto Las Vegas is one of the coziest places in town. It has a very quiet vibe to it and it’s perfect for a private dinner. It’s like a secret little place, although it’s not that much of a secret anymore since the word has spread out about its delicious menus.

The service is very efficient and the small capacity of the restaurant works in favor of you getting your orders on time. The waiters and chefs will be more than glad to suggest the best dish for your taste if you’re indecisive.

Kabuto is located on 5040 W. Spring Mountain Road in Seoul Plaza, approximately 2.3 miles from the Strip. Working hours include two seatings per night, one being at 6:00 PM and the other at 8:30 PM. Kabuto Las Vegas works every day except on Sundays. Of course, the restaurant doesn’t work on certain holidays like Thanksgiving and the 4th of July.

You can make a reservation up to two months in advance and you can only do it over the phone (702-676-1044). For parties of five or more, you will have to give a three-day notice.

The prices in Kabuto Las Vegas can seem a bit high compared to other Japanese restaurants you might have visited before, but remember that this is Las Vegas and that true enjoyment here is never cheap. As a matter of fact, Kabuto’s prices represent only a fraction of what you can expect on the Strip, so you can be sure you’re getting great value nonetheless.

The Omakase menu ranges from $48 to $120. Miso soup is only $4, appetizers start at $8, five-star sashimi costs $28. As far as sake goes, the cheapest glass of Kikumasamune’s sake costs $7. The 10oz bottles range between $25 and $98, while 24oz bottles are usually between $70 and $200. The most expensive sake is Hideyoshi that goes for $463 per bottle. A glass of wine costs between $10 and $15, while the bottles range from $40 to $120.