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| - Time warp experience, same place as 20 years ago. Not great.
Katsura at The Prince was once a very prestigious and authentic Japanese Restaurant. Some Japanese customers of mine always wanted to go to this place for any special events. That was 20+ years ago. And the main reasons for giving them 3 stars as opposed to 2 is that they make an attempt at being a traditional Japanese restaurant as opposed to a modern, iPad ordering, AYCE Japanese place.
The interior has not changed at all in 20 years. Lunch is a bad experience with a dark interior, an Asian man in an ill-fitting suit who pours the soy sauce for you and says "watch out for the wasabi", and an Asian woman with a geisha outfit that doesn't know the first thing about poise, etiquette and gracefulness.
The sushi is expensive and "so-so", lacking any presentation beauty or real freshness. I had the Sushi and Sashimi platter and at $38, I thought it lacked some creativity. I believe you may be better off with the teriyaki steak and chicken.
Dinner with a large group may be a better experience and while I did that several times 10 years ago, I wouldn't think of going there for a large group dinner today. I believe they rely mainly on the hotel guests and business conferences.
Of course a fresh coat of paint, some menu changes and a bit of modernization could do wonders for this place, as there aren't very many other good Japanese "traditional" restaurants in the immediate vicinity.
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