The Early Word on Hollywood Import Katsuya

The Houston branch of Hollywood sushi spot Katsuya set up shop on West Avenue in early March. With a space designed by Philippe Starck and food from Katsuya Uechi, the restaurant certainly doesn't lack for hype—but do the rolls, rice, and grilled items live up to the buzz? Some early diners don't mind the clubby vibe, but many found that the food didn't live up to their expectations or the steep price tag. Here's a rundown of what people are saying about the food, service, and space at Katsuya:

The Cautiously Optimistic News: Ashli Michelle of Almost Veggie Houston digs the food, but not the scene: "The creamy rock shrimp app is crazy great. Crispy bite size rock shrimp are tossed in the chef’s spicy creamy sauce. We had this twice in one night. Like. Like. Like....but in my middle class opinion it’s relatively painful to be placed in a space housing hordes of self proclaimed beautiful people." She recommends paying a visit at the decidedly unfashionable time of 6 p.m. [AVH]

The Head-Over-Heels News: One early Open Table reviewer can't say enough good things: "This is Houston's new go-to hot spot. The food is top notch. ...Innovative bar and food menu makes this a worthy rival to Nobu and other Japanese high end establishments. It is really expensive, be aware. [But] for an occasional special night, it is worth it!" [OT]

The Seriously Underwhelmed News: Over at Yelp, one reviewer is majorly disappointed: "I expected a lot more from this restaurant. The sushi is very average. I've had much better at other Houston restaurants. This includes the sashimi, which I feel is a good marker of the quality of the fish. Some creative menu items that looked good but again were very average...Even if you don't factor in the cost (it's not cheap), this restaurant is a waste of a date night." [Yelp]

The Unimpressed News: Blogger Matt Chow was not a fan of his Katsuya experience: "After putting in an order that should have showcased what Katsuya was all about we waited, and waited, and waited... My favorite dish of the night was the Miso Marinated Cod, nice and soft texture, and the flavor was actually nice. Avoid the sushi at all costs. Seriously. If you respect yourself, avoid the sushi. #fail in a pretty package." [Nomomnom]

The Satisfied News: Another Yelper enjoys both the food and the vibe: "Friends and I had planned to just come into the new restaurant for a couple of cocktails. Very new, very trendy. Great location for it too because West Ave thrives on trendiness. The restaurant was fully booked. Good to hear. So we stationed ourselves at the bar-bar. The lounge was also fully booked. Like that they have a lounge. We had great service. I love the Katsuya Fresh cocktail. Like really love...The food was quite good." [Yelp]

The Short, But Sweet News: Over at Foursquare, one user offers a rave: "Best hot new place in town. If you haven't been here yet, you ain't cool." [Foursquare]
—Alison Herman