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Not sure what all the hype is about, but the food is just not so good. The sushi is sub par, with a limited selection. The flavors in the eggplant appetizer were mismatched with a sharp and salty fishy taste. The chicken dish was good, but I am unsure as to whether it was just the best of the worst. The portions are small and the prices are high. The staff though was very nice.

We went to Butai tonight with another couple and found it to be a really cool astmophere. The menu does have an impressive selection, and the dishes we ordered were prepared very well, especially the fish; but considering the bite-sized servings, we had to order too many dishes to make it worthwhile. if you dont mind $50+ per person, then enjoy it, but it's not the value that some of the other reviews led me to believe. The mochi is delicious.

This place is amazing! My friend and I couldn't believe how long the menu was - and how long it took us to go through it and choose. Dishes are on the smaller side so order in phases because you'll want to keep tasting/ exploring until you're stuffed! The choices are bountiful and the fusion of flavors delectible. The presentation is stunningly beautiful, everything is so fresh, and the sushi melts in your mouth. Probably the best saki I've ever had, too - and yes, there's even a saki list! The decor is soothing, although the constant beat of the techno-disco music faded into the background eventually. I'm absolutely going to return again and again - it's on my favorite places list.

Worth a visit. Nice staff, great food and sake.

Went to Butai for the first time couple nights ago and was shocked that the place was not busier. I like sushi at Blue Ribbon, Nobu, Tomoe and Kierara and the sushi quality here is really not far off. The decor is stunning (surprisingly posh bathrooms!) with high ceiling, huge tall open windows (those window-side tables are nice) and dark-hue modern decor without looking like it's trying too hard. The prices are very good for what you get. The location may not be where most people expect a hip japanese restaurant (although sushi samba is around the corner and I think Butai is much better). The wait staff is courteous, smiles at you the entire time though seemed a bit amateur. The menu could be confusing, almost too many choices for non-raw fish items and the translation is not the best. Also the variety of sushi and sashimi is not huge (i.e., not 6 kinds of tuna), but have all the basics. Sea Urchin and scallops were very fresh (I often use the freshness of sea urchin as the gauge), not just the more common salmon and tuna. Will definitely go again.

Butai is a beautiful space with excellent food and very reasonable prices. All of the plates are small, so you order several. With such reasonable prices, the menu really encourages you to try new things. The menu is quite extensive and many of the dishes are different from the standard Japanese fare (although the old standbys are good here too, such as the age dashi tofu). Good for big parties.