Kaiseki Yuzu — Restaurant in Spring Valley

My wife and I visited Kaiseki Yuzu for our anniversary meal on Sunday, September 7, 2025.

I’m not usually one for writing reviews, since opinions are so personal, but after our experience at Kaiseki Yuzu I felt this one had to be shared.

To say we left disappointed would be an understatement — because we don’t think we’ll ever again have such an amazing evening of food and service. We were fortunate enough to have two chefs and our own Nakaisan looking after us throughout the meal, and the bar has now been set impossibly high.

Watching master artists at work — the precision, the calm, the sheer elegance — was worth the visit alone. I had worried beforehand that it might feel overly formal or even a little awkward, but it was anything but. The chefs and our Nakaisan explained each dish, shared insights into the ingredients and their origins, and engaged in relaxed conversation that made the whole evening feel warm and personal.

The Food

Although we’ve dined at many Japanese restaurants, this was our first true Kaiseki experience. The food was next-level: ten courses, each plated like a piece of art, each flavor and texture carefully layered to complement the next. Even when there was a recommended order of tasting, every element stood beautifully on its own. Every bite was subtle, delicate, and obscenely good.

The Hosting

Simply put: impeccable. I can’t think of a better word.

The Price

Yes, it’s expensive compared to an everyday restaurant. But everyday restaurants serve everyday food with everyday service. Kaiseki Yuzu is something else entirely. Exceptional quality, artistry, and hospitality come at a premium — and in my opinion, it was worth every penny.

Overall

I don’t believe anything is truly perfect, so nothing will ever get a 10/10 from me. But this was as close as it gets: 9.9999999999999999/10.

Would I return? Absolutely. The next time I’m in Las Vegas, this will be...

Speechless! This is a hidden gem. If you are looking for lavish decoration with 'retail' Japanese food experience, this is not the place for you. If you are into crafted Japanese dishes that focuses on quality, presentation, and taste, this is THE place to go to. Chef Kaoru has 19-year chef experience in Japan. He then went to France, Spain and London for a few years. Chef's wife is the waitress. This is definitely a small business that I will go back time and time again.

The dishes were not retail Japanese. One of the reviewers gave them 1-star because they didn't have a particular roll. This is an Omakase restaurant. It pretty much means chef's choice/creation. So don't complain if you are looking for common dishes. It also means they need to plan ahead. So please don't give them a low rating because they didn't want to sit you without a reservation. We went in for the $200 per person Omakase. We definitely did sense some European influence. Most of the food ingredients were imported from Japan and are of the best quality available. Chef Kaoru changes it up monthly so you do get seasonal ingredients. Check Kaoru was shy and does not speak a lot of English. He let the dishes speak for themselves.

Service was top notch. A lot of Sake and Japanese liquor to choose from. The place is tucked in behind an old complex. It is unassuming from the outside. We will come back to enjoy and support...

Wife and I dined at Kaiseki Yuzu in Dec 2022. Now that we've experience some top kaiseki dining in Kyoto Japan, my thought is this. If you want to full monty experience of eating a high end kaiseki meal, Kyoto is still the place to be. However, if you can overlook the general environmental perks like walking the backstreets of Gion District then Kaiseiki Yuzu is every bit as good as those top dining destinations in Kyoto.

The most memorable thing about Kaiseki Yuzu was that everything was top notch. By that I meant that my taste buds scored every single course in the 10-courses on the high end of excellent. All-in-all, Chef Azeuchi and Team served us one of the best meals we've ever had. It a consistent level of excellence we have not had experienced before. Just wow!

Another benefit is that we didn't need to fly 12 hours to KIX and dealing with all that clearing customs, jet lag, back pain, arranging ground transportation that'd come with international travel. From where we live it was an easy, 4-hour drive to the restaurant. And if you close you eyes while you are inside, you can easily imagine yourself at an authentic, high-end kaiseki spot in the Gion district. No passport required! I simply cannot recommend Kaiseki Yuzu highly enough.

Azeuchi-San,...